The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Union government and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to examine allegations that the film Dhurandhar 2, starring Ranveer Singh, violates provisions of the Official Secrets Act by allegedly revealing sensitive defence-related information.

The direction came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Deepak Kumar, a Head Constable with the Sashastra Seema Bal. Kumar argued that the movie discloses operational details of the armed forces and could threaten the country’s security and integrity.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the CBFC to treat the petition as a representation and take an informed decision on the concerns raised.

The Bench observed that although the movie may be fictional and intended for entertainment, its possible impact cannot be ignored.

“Even if the movie is a work of fiction and imagination and is made for entertainment purposes, the impact of the movie can’t be denied,” the Court observed.

According to the petitioner, the film allegedly depicts locations, military actions and characters resembling senior officials and deceased servicemen in a manner that could compromise national security. The plea also claimed that the movie disclosed details regarding drugs being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The Court noted that the concerns regarding disclosure of operational details or military tactics deserved consideration and stressed that the censor board should have appropriate guidelines while dealing with such issues.

Disposing of the petition, the Bench directed the MIB and the CBFC to consider the entire plea as a representation and take an appropriate decision on the issues raised.