In a relief for internet sensation Priya Prakash Varrier and director Omar Lulu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that no criminal proceedings will take place over the viral "wink" song Manikya Malaraya Puvi from her film Oru Adaar Love.
"Supreme Court stayed all the cases pending against her and said no criminal proceedings to take place against her till further hearing," ANI tweeted.
On Monday, Priya had moved the SC seeking a stay on FIRs lodged against her and the director over the song. Last week, Muslim youths had filed a case against her with Falaknuma police station in Hyderabad stating that the song allegedly insults Prophet Mohammad.
"After listening to the song, I went for the translation of the lyrics. The translation is about our Prophet," Muqeeth Khan, one of the complainants, had told Times Now.
Mumbai-based Islamic seminary Raza Academy also requested Prasoon Joshi, Central Board of Film Certification chief, to ban the song. An Aurangabad-based NGO, Jan Jagran Samiti Maharashtra (JJSM), also filed a complaint with the police stating that the song portrays the Prophet in an inappropriate way.
"The song and its lyrics are blasphemous and portray an improper and inappropriate way of life between Prophet Mohammed and his first wife Hazrat Khadija." JJSM President Mohsin Ahmed, said.
Following these complaints, Priya and Lulu moved the SC and said that the cases violate Freedom of Speech and Expression. Lulu and Priya said that the song is a Mappila Song also known as a traditional Muslim Song from the Malabar region of Kerala and it "describes the love between the Prophet Mohammad and his first wife Khadeeja."
"What is hard to fathom is that a song which has been in existence for the past 40 years, which was written, sung and cherished by the Muslim Community in Kerala is now being treated as an insult to the Prophet and his wife. It is submitted that a song, which has existed for more than 40 years and which has been cherished by more than 1 Crore Muslim population of Kerala cannot suddenly offend the religious sentiment of the Muslim Community [sic]," the petition reads.
