HC dismisses plea against Aamir's Dhobi Ghat title

The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea challenging the title of Aamir Khan's upcoming film Dhobi Ghat on the ground that it offended the sensitivity of a particular caste.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra dismissed a public interest litigation seeking it to frame guidelines to prevent the use of names of castes in movie titles.

The petition was filed by Hindustan Kanojia Organisation of Dhobis' Chairman Vinod Kumar Kanojia, and it contended that the film's storyline does not revolve around dhobi ghat (the place where washermen wash clothes).

"The storyline has nothing to do with dhobi ghat and the use of the word 'dhobi' hurt sensibility of a particular caste," the advocate appearing for Kanojia pleaded.

The counsel claimed that the community has been notified as Scheduled Caste in the Constitution and calling any person by its name was a punishable offence.

Rejecting the petitioner's contention, the court said that Dhobi Ghat is a geographical description of a place and is not offensive. Holding that the PIL is 'an abuse of process of law', the court imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner and asked him to deposit the amount in Blind's Relief Association.

The film, directed by Aamir Khan's wife Kiran Rao, has got rave reviews following its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival recently.

The film has Aamir Khan in the role of a painter and Prateek Babbar, as a laundry boy.

It is likely to released in India in December.