UTV may move to apex court against 'Jodhaa Akbar' ban in MP

New Delhi, Feb 23 (UNI) Reacting strongly to the Madhya Pradesh Government suspending screening of 'Jodhaa Akbar' in the state, the film's producer company UTV Motion Pictures today said they would approach the Supreme Court, if need be, for lifting of the ban.

In an official statement, the company that today moved the State High Court for the same, said, ''the censor board has passed the movie without any cuts and the onus is now on the respective authorities to ensure its screening across the country without disruption.'' It added that they had approached the high court today to lift the suspension on the screening and would take the matter to the Supreme Court, if required.

The State Government, yesterday, had issued orders to suspend the screening of the movie in the state with immediate effect.

The State Government said screening of the Hrithik Roshan-Aishwarya Rai-starrer has been suspended in all the cinemas across the state due to ''agitations and disruption of peace at a few places''.

Describing the ban as a strike on the vibrancy and creativity of the film industry, the producers of the movie said, ''the entire film industry, including producers, distributors and exhibitors, are up in arms against this order of the government. In fact, the state exhibitors association has threatened to go on an indefinite strike if this arbitrary ruling is not reversed.'' ''The authorities cannot let some individuals dictate what is or is not acceptable for the consumption of general public, otherwise we will not have as vibrant and creative an industry in the future'' they said, adding they would fight till the end.

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