Recently, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed against RJ Balaji’s Suriya and Trisha Krishnan-starrer Karuppu at the Madras High Court seeking a ban on the film. Even as the film grossed ₹250 crore worldwide, the PIL sought a ban on it, citing its portrayal of a corrupt judiciary.
Karuppu shows a guardian deity placed outside a fictional Seven Wells court, taking a human form as advocate Saravanan (Suriya) to prove that justice can also be delivered through fair means. The film shows how even a guardian deity like him can’t do much when judges or lawyers insist on swindling those in desperate need.
A Chennai-based advocate RS Tamilvendan filed a PIL against Karuppu seeking a ban on screening the film in theatres and on OTT platforms. The petitioner claimed that the movie damaged the dignity and majesty of courts by its portrayal of a corrupt judicial officer and an unethical advocate who exercises influence over the judicial system.
The Madras HC bench observed that no one can deny the existence of corruption in the judiciary and that there were corrupt judges. It was also pointed out that the HC ‘regularly shows exit door’ to such ‘black sheep’. One of the judges admitted to seeing the movie in a theatre and that the producer was not called upon to arrange a special screening.
The HC mentioned that the CBFC would not grant the film certification if it was in contempt of court. According to PTI, the bench said that ‘judges need not be treated as holy cows’ and that in a previous case, it was observed that criticism of judicial functioning was ‘healthy’ for introspection and improvement.
