The High Court of Karnataka on Monday dismissed a PIL petition questioning the casting of Sanjay Dutt, who had served imprisonment in connection with offences linked to the Mumbai blasts of 1993, in the Kannada film KGF-2.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi passed the order while declining to entertain the petition filed by G. Shivashankar, a social worker from Hubballi.
Pointing out that Mr. Dutt was convicted for possessing arms illegally and had undergone imprisonment, it was contended on behalf of the petitioner that people of Karnataka were opposing allowing of Mr. Dutt to act in Kannada film as he was convicted, which was upheld even by the Supreme Court.
However, the Bench said that the petitioner was unable to show any provision of the law that prevents Mr. Dutt from acting in any film and the law that prevents Hombaale Films Ltd., which is producing the film, from allowing Mr. Dutt to act in its film.
KGF-2, is a sequel of KGF Chapter 1 that had a star cast including Yash, Srinidhi Shetty and Raveena Tandon. The film is directed by Prashanth Neel, with music by Ravi Basrur. and is produced by Hombaale films. KGF-2’s initial release was slated for October but has been postponed as Mr. Dutt has taken a break from acting to undergo treatment.
