After nearly a decade of pending legal proceedings, the Bombay High Court is set to finally hear actor-director Amol Palekar’s long-standing petition challenging the mandatory pre-censorship of stage plays and performances. The petition is scheduled for a final hearing on December 5, 2025, before a bench comprising Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash.
Amol Palekar, now 80 years old, has been fighting to protect artistic freedom by opposing the existing requirement under the Bombay Police Act. This law imposes prior scrutiny of scripts and mandates certification from the Maharashtra State Performance Scrutiny Board before any play or public performance can be staged.
Palekar’s counsel, Anil Anturkar, highlighted the urgency of the matter in court, stating, “The petitioner is 85 years old now and wants an outcome, be it positive or negative.” Anturkar emphasized the significance of artistic freedom in today’s digital era, noting, “There is no censorship of shows and series on OTT platforms,” and questioned the rationale behind continuing the mandatory censorship for live theatre performances.
The petition specifically challenges the rules framed under Section 33(1)(wa) of the Bombay Police Act. These rules authorize police commissioners or superintendents to regulate “places of public amusement” and performances, including traditional tamashas and melas, requiring script scrutiny to safeguard “public order, decency, or morality.”
Palekar’s petition argues that such pre-censorship amounts to an unconstitutional restriction on artistic freedom. He pointed out, “This pre-censorship leads to curtailment of artistic freedom. Because of this, many historic plays have not been performed in their original form.”
The Bombay High Court admitted the plea in 2017 but has delayed hearing it on the merits until now. The upcoming session on December 5 is expected to bring closure to this critical issue affecting artists and cultural institutions.
This case is being closely watched by the theatre community and arts organizations. A ruling in favor of Palekar could pave the way for greater freedom and creativity in live stage performances in Maharashtra and potentially across India.
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