Abu Dhabi: Priya Prakash Varrier, who became India’s national crush with her appearance in the teaser song Mani Manikya Malaraya Poovi from film Oru Adaar Love (A Superb Love Story), approached the Indian Supreme Court on Monday to quash police case filed against her and the film maker.
The song's video, which showcased Varrier’s wink turn internet sensation, has been shared by millions on social media.
The writ petition filed by Varrier along with director and producer of the film, Omer Lulu, has requested the top court to quash the first information report [FIR] filed against them in India's Telengana state. They further sought the court to issue appropriate orders to restrain other states from registering FIRs in the same matter, her advocate told Gulf News on phone from New Delhi.
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“We will mention it before the chief justice tomorrow [Tuesday] for an urgent hearing,” said Haris Beeran, an advocate at the Supreme Court.
He said Varrier and filmmakers took this step following the reports about the Hyderabad police issuing a notice to the director related to the case filed against him.
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The Hyderabad Police on Wednesday registered a case on a complaint that the lyrics of the song had allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.
Hyderabad police have sought explanation from Omar Lulu about alleged objectionable lyrics in the notice that was sent by post on Saturday, Times of India reported on Monday.
Notice served
The notice was served by the Falaknuma police as a case was registered on February 14, based on a complainant from locals.
They alleged that the lyrics of the song Manikya Malarayi Poovi were offensive to Muslims. The complainants demanded that either the lyrics should be rewritten or the song be withdrawn from the film.
The advocate said some people registered complaints against Varrier and her team in Maharashtra, which may lead to police filing more FIRs in the same matter.
“Since the criminal complaints are being filed in different states across the country, no useful and fruitful purpose would be served in approaching the respective High Courts [in each state],” the petition says.
Why Supreme Court was approached
“That’s why the petitioner approached the Supreme Court,” the lawyer said.
Varrier and film makers explain in the petition that the allegedly controversial song Manikya Malaraya Poovi is a Mappila Song, or a traditional Muslim Song from the Malabar region of Kerala.
They further explain that the song is originally from an old folk song from Kerala which was written in 1978 by PMA Jabbar and was first sung by Thalassery Rafeeq.
The claims that it hurts the religious sentiments of the Muslim Community are without any basis, the petition states.
“What is hard to fathom is that a song which has been in existence for the past 40 years, which was written, sung and cherished by the Muslim Community in Kerala, is now being treated as an insult,” they said.
There are more than 10 million Muslims in Kerala.
