Treat as representation plea against release of movie on Tanhaji: HC asks NBFC

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to treat as a representation a plea alleging that upcoming Bollywood film 'Tanhaji-The Unsung Warrior', starring Ajay Devgan, does not show the true lineage of Tanhaji.

Justice Navin Chawla said the plea was "premature" as the movie was yet to be certified for public viewing and asked the CBFC to treat the petition as a representation in accordance with law.

With the direction, the court disposed off the petition by Akhil Bhartiya Kshtriya Koli Rajput Sangh, a society, which had sought a direction to CBFC to not grant a certificate for public viewing to the film if the true lineage of Tanhaji Malusare is not shown in it.

Tanhaji Malusare, also known as 'simha' (lion), was a warrior and military leader in the army of Shivaji.

The petitioner society alleged that the makers of the film are incorrectly showing Tanhaji as belonging to the Maratha community when he in fact was a Kshatriya Mahadeo Koli.

It claimed that the film, scheduled to be released on January 10, "deliberately concealed" the true lineage of Tanhaji "for political and commercial gains".

The petition further claimed that the Koli community had sent several representations to the CBFC to ensure that the film is not released without showing the true lineage of Tanhaji, but no action has been taken by the censor board.