Yash Raj Films is stepping into the digital world and there was literally no hype about it. But, it has finally got the much-needed controversy. Good for them, this controversy was sorted in exactly the desired manner.
The Bombay High Court has dismissed pleas seeking a stay on the release of the Netflix India series “The Railway Men – The Untold Story of Bhopal 1984.” The series, inspired by events surrounding the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, faced opposition from two former employees of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), convicted in connection with the 1984 tragedy.
Justice Arif Doctor, presiding over a vacation bench on November 15, rejected the petitioners’ request, emphasizing their failure to establish a “very strong and compelling prima facie case” of defamatory material in the series. The court acknowledged that the Bhopal Gas Tragedy was a significant and unfortunate event well-documented in the public domain through various media.
Highlighting the disclaimer at the beginning of the series stating it as a “work of fiction” and only “inspired” by true events, the judge noted that the events surrounding the gas leak have been extensively discussed in documentaries, movies, and books over the years. The petitioners contended that the series could prejudice their ongoing legal proceedings, but Justice Doctor asserted that the conviction had occurred in 2010, and trial details were already public.
The court also underscored that the series’ disclaimer, highlighting its fictional nature, further diminished the likelihood of causing harm to the petitioners. Yash Raj Films, the series makers, argued that the pleas were baseless and misconceived, asserting that the petitioners were neither named nor blamed for the gas leak in the series.
Scheduled for release on Netflix on November 18, “The Railway Men” remains controversial, but the court’s decision has been a big relief. The series will definitely be released tomorrow on Netflix India.