'Section 375' movie: Court issues summonses to actor Akshaye Khanna, producers

A Pune court has issued summonses to actor Akshaye Khanna and two producers of upcoming Bollywood movie Section 375 directing them to appear before it on September 9 on a petition filed by a lawyer seeking the stay on its release.

Referring to the teaser of the movie released recently, petitioner Wajed Khan contended that it will create a "wrong impression" among rape survivors and they will not approach police to register a case. Khan also claimed that a scene from the teaser has portrayed the legal profession in bad light and "maligned" the image of lawyers.

Civil judge RH Nathani on Monday issued suit summons to Khanna, producers Kumar Mangal Pathak and Abhishek Mangal Pathak and asked them to appear before it on September 9. "In one of the scenes, a male police officer is seen taking statement of a rape survivor in open in a police station and in court also, the rape victim is seen giving answers to vulgar questions of a lawyer," the petition said.

READ | Richa Chadha, Akshaye Khanna-to come together for courtroom drama ‘Section 375’

Khan stated that such scenes from the teaser will create a wrong impression among rape survivors and they will not approach police to register a case. "A scene from the teaser also portrayed the legal profession in bad light and maligned the image of lawyers," he said.

The petitioner requested the court to stay the release of the film, which is slated to hit the screens on September 13. "After admitting my petition, the court summoned the actor and two producers, and asked them to appear before it on September 9," he said on Monday.

READ | ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ sequel will be fun when Aamir, Saif and I are fifty plus: Akshaye Khanna

Section 375, starring Khanna and Richa Chadha, is an upcoming courtroom drama based on Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The IPC section defines rape as "sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, by coercion, misrepresentation or fraud or at a time when she has been intoxicated or duped, or is of unsound mental health and in any case if she is under 16 years of age".