CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to take a decision on extending tax concession to the dubbed version of feature film 'Dr Balasaheb Ambedkar' and ensure its release in the state within four weeks.
The first bench comprising the acting Chief Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice KK Sasidharan gave this direction on a public interest petition filed by advocate S Sathia Chandran recently.
Originally produced in English in 2006, the film featuring actor Mammootty was subsequently dubbed in several languages including Hindi and Marathi.
The Tamil Nadu government sanctioned Rs 10 lakh as grant for dubbing the film in Tamil. It was directed by Jabbar Patel, and Mammootty won the national award for his performance.
In the present petition, Sathia Chandran said that since the public money of Rs 10 lakh had been granted for the film, the state government had a public duty to ensure the release of the film so that the target audience could watch the film.
If the film is released, it would awaken and enlighten the toiling masses towards working for an egalitarian and truly casteless society, which is the ideal and dream of Dr Ambedkar, Sathia Chandran contended.
As there was no reply for representations and reminders, the advocate preferred the present PIL.
When the matter was taken up, the National Film Development Corporation Limited (NFDC), which produced the film, told the court that distribution rights for the film had already been given and the process of getting tax exemption for the film from the state government was on. Immediately after getting tax exemption, action would be taken to release the film in Tamil Nadu, its counsel Kokilavani told the bench.
Government pleader J Raja Kalifulla said the government too was interested in the early release of the film.
Recording the statement, the judges said: "The NFDC should take all possible steps to release the film at an early date."
They then asked the authorities to decide on the issue of tax concession within two weeks, and to ensure the release of the film within four weeks.
The first bench comprising the acting Chief Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice KK Sasidharan gave this direction on a public interest petition filed by advocate S Sathia Chandran recently.
Originally produced in English in 2006, the film featuring actor Mammootty was subsequently dubbed in several languages including Hindi and Marathi.
The Tamil Nadu government sanctioned Rs 10 lakh as grant for dubbing the film in Tamil. It was directed by Jabbar Patel, and Mammootty won the national award for his performance.
In the present petition, Sathia Chandran said that since the public money of Rs 10 lakh had been granted for the film, the state government had a public duty to ensure the release of the film so that the target audience could watch the film.
If the film is released, it would awaken and enlighten the toiling masses towards working for an egalitarian and truly casteless society, which is the ideal and dream of Dr Ambedkar, Sathia Chandran contended.
As there was no reply for representations and reminders, the advocate preferred the present PIL.
When the matter was taken up, the National Film Development Corporation Limited (NFDC), which produced the film, told the court that distribution rights for the film had already been given and the process of getting tax exemption for the film from the state government was on. Immediately after getting tax exemption, action would be taken to release the film in Tamil Nadu, its counsel Kokilavani told the bench.
Government pleader J Raja Kalifulla said the government too was interested in the early release of the film.
Recording the statement, the judges said: "The NFDC should take all possible steps to release the film at an early date."
They then asked the authorities to decide on the issue of tax concession within two weeks, and to ensure the release of the film within four weeks.
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