Analysis Of Bandit Queen

In 1994, an order was sought to prevent the screening of the film “Bandit Queen” from public and private viewings. The film was made as a true story based on the life of Phoolan Devi. The counsel for the petitioner, argued that the showing of the film would amount to a violation of her privacy as the facts in the book are twisted and misrepresented – thus creating a film based on the book would result in violating privacy. One of the arguments presented on behalf of Phoolan Devi that showing of the film would endanger the life and liberty of the plaintiff as individuals from an upper caste may attempt to seek revenge on the life of the plaintiff after viewing the film. Although the Court did not address this argument, in hindsight this argument seems almost prophetical since Ms. Phoolan Devi was subsequently murdered by a person of the higher caste allegedly as revenge for the massacre being referred to in this argument. Although arguments were made that the depiction of the incidents in the film was prohibited by virtue of the Copyright Act, these arguments, although mentioned, were not dealt with by the Court in its judgment.
After a discussion of the contentions of both sides and the facts involved in the case the Court held that:
“After holding that maybe, for her famous or infamous deed the plaintiff had thrust herself into the arena of publicity, she cannot escape publicity, criticism and exposure by media, audio and video, may be, of ' her liking or disliking. But