You are careless: Karnataka High Court pulls up Ranveer Singh over Kantara mimicry controversy
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday pulled up actor Ranveer Singh over the Kantara mimicry controversy, while also granting him interim relief during a hearing. The next hearing of the case is to be held on March 2.
The Karnataka High Court on February 24 granted interim relief to actor Ranveer Singh and stayed any coercive action against him in a case related to allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Also, the court came down heavily on Singh over allegations that he copied a character Kantara: Chapter 1 At the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Hearing Singh’s plea seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against him, the court underlined that public figures have influence and must shoulder responsibility. The next hearing of the case will be on Monday 2 March.
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Justice M Nagaprasanna made strong verbal remarks during the hearing, telling the actor, “Being an actor you influence many people. You have to be responsible when you do that. You can imitate, you can do anything. You have no right to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. You cannot have a loose tongue at all. You can be Ranveer Singh, you can be anyone.”
Appearing for Singh, senior lawyer Sajan Poovayya described his client’s comments as “completely insensitive” and said Singh was ready to seek redress for any injury. The court said the issue of intention would be examined during the proceedings.
The judge further said, “I am afraid you may forget that the internet never forgets… when actors go on stage and try to do all this. You have to be careful that religious sentiments of people should be respected… You are talking about a deity, imitating a deity. But standing on a stage you cannot take it so lightly… Nobody can ignore the sentiments of the people of the state. You have definitely hurt the sentiments.”
The court said, “I am not saying that this is a deliberate statement. This is gross ignorance. This is a sacred act of the region.”
During the argument, the complainant side pointed out that Singh’s wife Deepika Padukone is from Karnataka, and argued that he should have been aware of local religious sentiments. He also said that Singh was allegedly asked to stop mimicry in the programme, but he did not do so. Responding to this, the judge commented that the actor “should have been very careful”.
The case pertains to provisions related to promoting enmity and hurting religious sentiments under BNS 2023. Singh’s lawyer argued that the FIR was based on a summary order directing the investigation, saying: “This is a one-line order. It says that this is a fit case for investigation… Your Lordships have held that reckless statements do not mean deliberate ones under the BNS.”
The court also warned that digital content has a lasting impression, saying: “Words can be taken back, but content on the Internet cannot be taken back,” and stressed that “one should not attack public sentiments.”
The case has been adjourned till next Monday. Meanwhile, the High Court directed that no punitive action be taken against Ranveer Singh till the next hearing.
