Supreme Court Issues New Guidelines for Movies Portraying Disabilities
Nipun Malhotra Expresses Gratitude
New Delhi, India – The Supreme Court has introduced new guidelines for how persons with disabilities (PWD) should be portrayed in visual media. These guidelines aim to avoid language that focuses solely on the impairment and ignores the social barriers faced by PWD.
Nipun Malhotra, the petitioner, expressed his gratitude for the judgement. He was motivated to approach the court after watching the movie ‘Aankh Micholi’ by Sony Entertainment, which he felt portrayed disabilities negatively. Malhotra stated, “I am thankful to the Supreme Court for this wonderful judgement on PWD portrayal in visual media. What triggered me to move to the apex court was a movie called Aankh Micholi by Sony Entertainment. The movie showed persons with disability in a very negative light. Somebody who stammers is called ‘atki hui cassette’. Night blindness has been shown in an irrelevant way.”
Malhotra felt humiliated by such portrayals and believed they reinforced harmful stereotypes. He thanked the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for the new guidelines.
The guidelines were laid down by a bench including Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala. They emphasized that while some language might be justified by the overall message of a film, language that disparages PWD and reinforces social barriers should be approached with caution.
The court noted that problematic representations harm societal treatment of PWD. They stressed the importance of considering the social context and avoiding terms like “cripple” and “spastic,” which have negative connotations. The court also advised against language that individualizes the impairment, such as “afflicted,” “suffering,” and “victim.”
Creators are encouraged to accurately represent medical conditions to avoid misinformation and stereotypes. The guidelines also call for visual media to reflect the diverse experiences of PWD, showcasing their challenges, successes, talents, and contributions to society. This balanced representation aims to dispel stereotypes and promote a more inclusive understanding of disability.
The court also warned against portraying PWD as either helpless or as having extraordinary abilities, as both extremes can be harmful.
