Dum Maaro Dum gets Goa court relief

The Panaji bench of Bombay High Court has cleared way for the release of the controversial film Dum Maaro Dum, dismissing a petition calling for a ban on its release.

The bench comprising of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and F M Reis dismissed the petition ruling that the filmmakers have deleted the objectionable portion from the movie trailers.

?The respondent has confirmed that the objectionable portions have been removed from the movie promos. Moreover, the petition was filed based on movie promos and not the entire movie. Therefore relief can be granted to the respondent,? the bench said.

The court, last week had viewed the old version and the edited portion of the trailers in the court hall.

Savio Rodrigues, a media professional had approached the High Court seeking to ban the upcoming movie alleging that the movie portrays Goa in poor light.

He had contended in his petition that the screening should be stayed as the movie showcases Goa as a hub of sex, drugs and easy availability of women.

During the arguments, Advocate Winnie Coutinho, representing the petitioner argued that the promos of the movie have replaced the word ?women? with ?relationship?, which was still objectionable.

The petitioner had taken objection to a particular dialogue in the movie which says ?Here in Goa, liquor is cheap and women are even cheaper.?

?We request the bench to watch the movie before delivering its verdict. We are apprehensive that the objectionable portions may be present in the remaining parts of the movie also,? Coutinho said.

Whereas the counsel representing Fox Star Studio International Private Limited told the Court that they have doctored the trailers by deleting the word ?women?. While the edited trailers were released across the nation, the filmmakers maintained the old version internationally.

?The Censor board has certified it as ?A? after watching the movie. There is nothing objectionable in the movie or anything that would hurt sentiments of Goa and Goan people,? he said.

Rohan Sippy?s film starring Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Paduko, Bipasha Basu and others revolves around drug-laced parties, sex, prostitution and Goa?s dark underbelly, is set to hit theaters on April 22. It would be released in 20 countries at 350 international locations and 1000 theaters and multiplexes in India.

The film trailers and publicity materials have come under heavy criticism for depicting the state in negative manner.