Lawyer’s Role Was Imaginary & Not to Hurt Anyone’- Roopesh Shetty- Director of ‘Girgit’ Tulu Movie
Mangaluru : The Mangalore Bar Association (MBA), peeved over the portrayal of advocates in the Tulu film, ‘Girgit’, had succeeded in bringing a temporary stay order against the screening of the film. Principal Civil Judge and JMFC Court Judge Harisha heard the arguments of advocate M P Shenoy, who represented the MBA in the court contempt case. The judge granted a temporary injunction to the screening of ‘Girgit’ until the scenes that showed advocates and courts in poor light were deleted. MBA General Secretary H V Raghavendra later told reporters on the court premises that the film ridicules advocates and the court with cheap humour. He said that the Association will intensify its campaign against films that humiliate advocates. The next hearing of the case was posted on September 17, sources added.
In Pic L-R : Choreographer Naveen Shetty Aryans, producer Manjunath Attavar, Actor/Director/Producer-Roopesh Shetty, and Director-Rakesh Kadri
Tit-for-tat, in response to the action taken by the Bar Association, The director of Tulu movie Girgit, Roopesh Shetty in order the clarify their stand on the issue held a press meet at Mangaluru Press Club, and addressing the media persons he said, “If the lawyers feel that the particular role portraying lawyers in the movie defame lawyer fraternity I regret about it, but in the same time I want to clarify that the role was just an imaginary one and we had no intention at all to hurt anyone in the lawyer profession”
“Even though I have acted in quite a few Tulu films, but as a producer this movie is my first one, and I was really overwhelmed with the support and encouragement the movie received just in the first week. Girgit’ was a hit in UAE and even in Bengaluru. Girgit is a movie full of laughs and a total family entertainer. The role of the advocate played in the movie by the actor is imaginary, and we had no intention to hurt anyone in the lawyer fraternity. Now that the Bar Association has decided to put a stay order on the movie, in the meantime, we will respect the court’s order and abide by the law.” added Roopesh.
Shetty further said, “As of now the theatres that run our movie have not stopped screening of Girgit, since they have not received any court order. There are a few procedures to be followed before we stop screening of the movie. Once the Court advises us with the order to stop screening the movie we will abide by it” Director-Rakesh Kadri, Choreographer Naveen Shetty, and producer Manjunath Attavar were present during the press meet.
Earlier in a press release from Mangalore Bar Association it said, “An injunction order has been passed against the Tulu movie ‘Girgit’ for the derogatory, defamatory statements against the advocates and for the mockery of the judicial system of the nation. The injunction order has been passed by the Principal civil judge, DK Mangalore in O. S 1152/2019.” and that Mangaluru Lawyers Association members have expressed satisfaction on the stay order issued on Tulu movie ‘Girgit’.
But surprisingly it is kind of strange to note that, why the lawyers fraternity woke up so late to file a case in the Court to put a stay order on Girgit, when the movie was released almost three-weeks ago, on 23 August 2019. Rumours are that someone out of jealous might have started all this controversy since Girgit has been a blockbuster making big bucks in crores in the last couple of weeks after its release. Oh well, until the producers/Directors get a Court Order to stop screening of the movie, “Girgit” shows will still go on with full-house audience enjoying the laughs.
