The Kerala High Court has started examining the plea filed against the Malayalam movie 'Antony,' alleging that it has offended the religious sentiments of the Christian community by depicting a gun concealed within a Bible.

According to the Manorama website, the court, while acknowledging the petition and agreeing to scrutinise the contested scenes, also questioned the level of intolerance in society. Justice Devan Ramachandran, presiding over the case, remarked that people should not be overly intolerant, emphasising the need for a balanced perspective.

The court, during the hearing, suggested the petitioner present the video as evidence, expressing a willingness to review it. However, Justice Devan Ramachandran posed a thought-provoking question, asking whether society should be so intolerant as to raise objections even to a passing reference in a film. The bench further noted that similar scenes depicting controversial content had been portrayed in English movies dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.

Addressing the depiction of the Bible in the movie, the court questioned how the book could be conclusively identified as the Bible, considering it was only a fleeting shot. Emphasising the short length of the scene, the court suggested that such a moment might not register in the viewer's mind. Additionally, the court highlighted that the movie had undergone censorship by industry experts before its release across various platforms.

The plea against 'Antony' was presented on Tuesday by advocates Gigimon Issac, Tom Thomas, and Tobias Togi Mathew, as reported by Live Law.

'Antony,' an action drama directed by Joshiy and written by Rajesh Varma, hit the big screens on December 1, featuring Joju George in the lead role alongside a cast including Kalyani Priyadarshan, Chemban Vinod Jose, Nyla Usha, Asha Sharath, Appani Sarath, and Vijayaraghavan.

(With inputs from agencies)