Corrupt political forces which have allowed the drug problem to flourish in Punjab, some would even say they profit from it, tried their hardest from the censor board to the courts, using all political goons, but democracy has won out in the end and the film will release Friday as intended despite the Censor Board leaking a water-marked copy of the film online – something they don't want people to see in theatres. Real Morons, these people!

CHANDIGARH – The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday dismissed the petitions seeking stalling the release of Bollywood film ‘Udta Punjab’ on Friday, on the plea that it projected Punjabis in bad light.

Corrupt political forces which have allowed the drug problem to flourish in Punjab, some would even say they profit from it, tried their hardest from the censor board to the courts, using all political goons, but democracy has won out in the end and the film will release as intended despite the Censor Board leaking a water-marked copy of the film online – something they don't want people to see in theatres. Real Morons, these people!

The petition filed by a lawyer and other petitions failed to find favour with the court as Justice M Jayepaul dismissed the petitions after the amicus curiae argued that the film did not glorify the use of drugs in Punjab, there was nothing objectionable to Punjabis in it and it did not portray them in bad light.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain the plea by an NGO seeking stay on the release of the film. A vacation Bench of Justices AK Goel and LN Rao had advised the NGO petitioner to await the outcome of a similar case pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The NGO, Human Rights Awareness Association, had accepted the suggestion and withdrew its appeal against the Bombay High Court verdict allowing the release of the movie.

The NGO had moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stall the screening of the film, while another plea by it had prompted the Delhi High Court to direct the producer to modify the promos by adhering to the Bombay High Court order.

The plea filed before the apex court bench sought a direction to restrain the screening of the movie on the grounds that it depicted Punjab in a bad light.

On June 13, the Bombay High Court had cleared the decks for the release of ‘Udta Punjab’ after ordering deleting of a urination scene and displaying a revised disclaimer as per which the makers would have to delete reference to Pakistan.

The Bombay High Court had also directed the film-maker to make additions to the disclaimer to the effect that the movie, its characters and the film-makers do not promote the use of drugs and abusive language, and the film is only attempting to depict the reality of drug abuse.

In the Bombay High Court, Anurag Kashyap’s Phantom Films had challenged the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) revising the committee’s order of June 6 directing a total of 13 changes in the movie.

The Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh-starrer delves into how a large number of youth in Punjab have succumbed to drugs.