Delhi High Court seeks replies over 'Suryaa' teaser portraying doctors as corrupt

The Delhi High Court sought responses from authorities and producers over the 'Suryaa' teaser. The challenge raises concerns about doctors' safety, defamatory portrayals and online film certification.Stock photo used for illustrationNewdelhi,Nov 2, 2026 17:22 ISTThe Delhi High Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, the Central Board of Film Certification and the producers of the upcoming Hindi film 'Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak' over a plea alleging that it portrays doctors at private hospitals as corrupt and encourages violence against healthcare professionals, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The Sunny Deol-starrer is scheduled to be released in cinemas on November 20. The court will hear the matter again on November 16.Justice Amit Mahajan issued notices to the Central Board of Film Certification, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, film producer M M Moviez and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited on a petition filed by four doctors.Advocate Varun Singh, representing the petitioners, urged the court to stay the screening of the film's teaser. However, the court did not pass an order on the request. The petition was filed by Dr Nishant Soni, Dr Ashish Tomar, Dr Ravi Bhatia and Dr Shivam Vatsal, who practise at different corporate hospitals in Delhi. Some of them are office-bearers of DOCS, or Doctors of Corporate Society.The doctors said they approached the court because the authorities had not acted over the teaser. They claimed that the threat posed by what they described as unverifiable and defamatory content was not speculative. The teaser creates a real danger to doctors in corporate hospitals by promoting violence against frontline healthcare workers, who already face attacks from disgruntled relatives of patients while supporting the country's healthcare system, the plea said, according to PTI.Citing media reports, the petition said the film is a Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam movie 'Joseph', which was released on November 16, 2018, and directed by M Padmakumar, who has also directed the upcoming film.According to the plea, 'Joseph' follows a retired police officer who uncovers a racket involving the harvesting of organs through brain-stem death certification at a private hospital.The petitioners have sought directions to the authorities to examine the teaser and take appropriate action under the Cinematograph Act and the Information Technology Act. They have also sought the removal or blocking of the teaser from online platforms until it is examined by the competent authorities.The doctors said the teaser, released on October 19 on Zee Music Company's YouTube channel, presents the story as being "inspired by unbelievable true events" and revealing the "shocking truth" about the medical system, although it is allegedly based on a fictional narrative.They alleged that the teaser shows a private hospital obtaining consent for the donation of a young woman's organs after she is certified brain-stem dead. It also accuses doctors of overcharging patients, prescribing unnecessary tests and accepting commissions, the petition said.The petitioners also referred to comments posted by viewers under the teaser, which allegedly contain threats and calls for violence against members of the medical profession.They have asked the authorities to examine the film and its promotional material, make necessary changes or cuts, and require a disclaimer stating that the film is fictional and not based on true events. They also sought guidelines to bring online teasers and trailers under the film-certification framework.The High Court has issued notices to the government authorities and the film's producers but has not stayed the screening of the teaser. The case will next be heard on November 16, ahead of the film's scheduled release on November 20.- Ends