HVK Archives: Unarmed & dangerous, scrap dealer sees Remo & Co in the dock
Unarmed & dangerous, scrap dealer sees Remo & Co in the dock - The Indian Express
Prasannakumar Keskar
()
May 3, 1998
Title: Unarmed & dangerous, scrap dealer sees Remo & Co in the dock
Author: Prasannakumar Keskar
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: May 3, 1998
When Shakil Rajabhai Shaikh, a 28-year-old from Dehu Road who
sold scrap, sued Bollywood bigwigs, including Super Cassettes
Industries Ltd, pop star Remo Fernandes and lyricist Anand Bakshi
for using obscene words in the title song of the Hindi film
Aflatoon, many mocked him because they thought the would miss his
targets by miles.
But now with his complaint leading to a total ban on the sale of
audio cassettes in the Dehu Road-Talegaon Dabhade-Lonavala area
and with the pop star having written him a personal letter
feigning innocence, the youth has become a celebrity.
So much so that the residents of Dehu Road, as well as the
police, who had branded Shaikh a bekar (unemployed) till a few
days ago, despite his being a scrap dealer, now call him a social
worker.
Even Shaikh's counsel, S R Goyal, who was initially ridiculed by
his fraternity for appearing in what they thought was a "good-for-
nothing case" has become a crusader for a social cause.
"Initially, nobody gave a serious thought to our suit. In fact
all our friends warned us against suing the bigwigs. But now, on
realising the importance of our action, the same people have
started respecting us," Goyal and Shaikh told The Indian Express
last week.
"I am happy about the response to the suit. In fact now I am
planning to make Akshay Kumar, the hero of the film on whom the
song is picturised, an accused. This will help in curbing the
sale of the video cassettes of the film," said Goyal. (And on
April 29, he did just that. Goyal moved an application saying
that Akshay Kumar and Indus Cassettes Industries Ltd should also
he made respondents in the case.)
Both Goyal and Shaikh claim that they decided to sue the Super
Cassettes Industries Ltd, its manager, singer Remo Fernandes,
musicians Dilip Sen and Sameer Sen as well as lyricist Anand
Bakshi because they felt the song cannot he heard in public.
however, each one had a different motivation.
"I heard the song for the first time while doing my aerobics
workout and found the obscene words in it nauseating. All my
friends and even the coach laughed as I replayed the cassette
several times and expressed my irritation about the vulgarity.
Later, I watched the movie and found out that the obscenity was
hurled at a policeman in uniform which was even more irritating.
So I discussed the matter with Goyal and we decided to file the
case," Shaikh recalled.
"I gauged the gravity of the situation when I heard my three-and-
a-half year old daughter singing the obscene song within three
days after Shaikh approached me. Immediately, I contacted Shaikh
and we decided to go ahead and file the suit," Goyal said.
Assistant Police Inspector Dinkar Pawar from Dehu Road police
station said his staff has seized six audio cassettes of the
movie from two shops m Dehu Road ever since the court issued
search warrant authorising the police to seize the cassettes.
"Now the audio cassettes of the film are not being sold anywhere
in Dehu Road," he added.
True, none of the two major electronic shops from Dehu Road
display the cassettes of the Hindi film in the windows. However,
one of the shop owners offered to provide a cassette from the
black market, quoting a price of Rs 50.
The complaint was filed as per the provisions of section 292 of
the Indian Penal Code before Judicial Magistrate First Class
(Wadgaon Maval court) A M Kshatriya on January 13.1998.
On January 15, Shaikh verified the facts stated in his petition
and it was admitted in the court on January 29 after the song in
question was played in the courtroom.
On the same day, the JMFC issued process against the six accused
and summons were issued, directing the accused to produce
themselves before the court on March 3. On February 11, Goyal
moved an application requesting the court to direct the police to
seize the audio cassettes of the film.
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