Take action against those disrupting release of ‘Thug Life’: Supreme Court to Karnataka

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Karnataka government to take action against those obstructing the screening of Kamal Haasan-starrer ‘Thug Life’ in the state.

A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan recorded the state government’s assurance that it would provide adequate security to the theatres if the movie was screened in the state.

The bench said it did not want a situation to crop up in which someone's sentiment was hurt by utterances and the movie was stalled from releasing, or a standup show was cancelled or an artist was stopped from reciting a poem.

As a result, the bench asked the state government to contain any "divisive element" posing as a threat to the film's release.

The top court closed the PIL after the state government's assurance, observing no guidelines or directions were required to be given.

On June 17, the top court came down heavily on the Karnataka government after the actor's movie was not screened in theatres in the state, and observed that mob and vigilantes cannot be allowed to take over streets.

The top court was hearing a plea by one M Mahesh Reddy, who challenged the film's non-screening in Karnataka.