The Karnataka High Court on Saturday accepted Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh's undertaking to visit the Chamundi Hill Temple in Mysore to make amends for his mimicry of the temple deity's depiction in the film Kantara.
Justice M Nagaprasanna today said he will pass orders to close Singh's plea after recording Singh's apology and his undertaking to visit the temple. The Court added that it will direct Singh to visit the temple in four weeks.
"While disposing, I will record it, that he will do it in the next four weeks," the judge remarked.
The Court was hearing a plea filed by Singh to quash a criminal case registered against him over his controversial mimicry and comments at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held at Goa.
The case arose from a speech made by Singh at the 55th IFFI. While praising actor-director Rishab Shetty's performance in Kantara: Chapter 1, Singh referred to the Chamundi deity as a “female ghost” and mimicked Shetty’s performance.
A criminal case was eventually registered against Singh for the offences under Sections 196 (religious enmity), 299 (religious insult) and 302 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Singh then moved the High Court, contending that he did not mean to hurt religious sentiments. He pointed out that he has also issued an unconditional apology on social media.
He later filed an apology affidavit before the High Court and said that he would visit the Chamundi Hill to offer prayers at the temple there as well.
During the last hearing, the lawyer who filed the criminal complaint against Singh had expressed doubts over whether Singh's apology affidavit was genuine.
Today, Singh's counsel, Senior Advocate Sajjan Poovayya, told the Court that he has now filed a revised affidavit with an unconditional apology, and reiterated his undertaking to visit the Chamundi Hill temple. Poovayya added that he has not set a date for the visit and that the Court may set one.
Meanwhile, the complainant, advocate Prashanth Methal, urged the Court to add a word of warning in its order to deter celebrities from making comments that could hurt the public's religious sentiments.
"For them, it's just a case. For us, it is a belief system. Every word carries weight, words are impactful and consequential...Other celebrities should not take this lightly, so let there be a harsh caution from this Court," he said.
"I understand. That is the reason I have not stayed (the criminal case against Singh) it till today... Admonishing, definitely we will do," Justice Nagaprasanna said.
Poovayya weighed in by assuring that Ranveer Singh has realised the sensitivity of the matter.
"The reason we did not argue it on merits is exactly for this. I have realised the sensitivity and, therefore, I am expressing my regret."
Methal added that the Court should fix a timeline for Singh's visit to the Chamundi Hill.
Justice Nagaprasanna then assured that he would fix a timeline for Singh's visit to the hill.
"While disposing, I will record it, that he will do it in the next four weeks," the judge said.
Senior Advocate Poovayya then suggested that the Court could order that the visit be made expeditiously, instead of fixing a particular date.
He submitted that after Singh's latest movies (Dhurandhar), he is facing travel restrictions, partly due to security threats.
Methal, however, countered that the police can take care of any such concern.
"Karnataka police is very powerful and protective," he said.
"So powerful that they go behind live-in relationships, they go behind couples. Real crime is not being investigated only. Only (Section) 69 (BNS) (cases are being taken by them)," Justice Nagaprasanna added, in a lighter vein.
The judge then indicated that he will soon pass orders to close Singh's plea after recording his apology and his undertaking to visit the temple.
"He (Singh) will do it, he is a responsible citizen, he will do it...I will pass that order, we'll take it as disposed, recording affidavit," Justice Nagaprasanna told the complainant as today's hearing came to a close.