Madras HC rejects plea to stop screening Dhurandhar 2 in Tamil Nadu due to poll code

Madras HC says MCC is not a legal bar, allows Dhurandhar 2 screening in Tamil Nadu after noting CBFC certification was not challenged

The Madras High Court on Friday refused to halt the screening of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge in Tamil Nadu theatres, dismissing two writ petitions that sought a temporary stay on the film’s release citing the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the run up to the Assembly election.

The court dismissed two writ petitions that sought a temporary stay on Dhurandhar 2’s screening.

A bench of chief justice SA Dharmadhikari and justice G. Arul Murugan held that no law bars the release of a film during the MCC period.

The judges said that the petitioner, D. Rakesh, a resident of Madurai, had not challenged the certification granted to the film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC); hence, the court could not intervene in the absence of such a challenge.

“What is the law that a movie cannot be released when the Model Code of Conduct is in place? The CBFC has given a certificate. It is not challenged. Unless that is challenged, nothing can be done. The statutory body has permitted,” the high court said.

The court dismissed the plea and said it will pass a “detailed order later.”

The petitioner had argued that the film violated the spirit of the MCC and pointed to Chapter VII of the MCC guidelines, which cautions the party in power against using public funds or official media for publicity that could influence voters.

Rakesh contended that although the clause refers to the “public exchequer,” its underlying purpose extends to preventing indirect political messaging through mass media during elections.

According to him, Dhurandhar 2 portrayed the achievements of the ruling party at the Centre, particularly on “counter-terrorism and money laundering, in a way that could sway voters.”

He urged the court to restrain filmmakers Aditya Dhar, Lokesh Dhar, and producer Jyoti Deshpande from screening the film in theatres across Tamil Nadu until vote counting is concluded on May 4.

Another counsel representing the petitioner raised concerns about the film’s content and told the court that the film indulged in “warmongering” and alleged that it could “incite tensions between India and Pakistan” and trigger communal unrest.

The bench, however, reiterated that without a direct challenge to the CBFC certification, it had no basis to stop the screening. It also stressed that the MCC does not, by itself, impose a legal prohibition on film releases.