Obscenity case against TVF's 'College Romance' quashed by Supreme Court
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a criminal case against the acclaimed Indian production house, The Viral Fever (TVF). The case revolved around accusations of "indecent content" in the third season of TVF's popular web series, College Romance. A panel of Justices AS Bopanna and PS Narasimha concluded that there was no breach of Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act (IT Act), nullifying the complaint against the creators.
Supreme Court reversed High Court's ruling on 'College Romance'
The Supreme Court's ruling was a response to appeals by TVF and its creative team, who contested a Delhi High Court verdict from March 2023. The High Court had previously determined that the language used in the web series was "obscene, profane, and vulgar." It had declared that TVF, director Simarpreet Singh, and one of the lead actors, Apoorva Arora were accountable for action under Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act.
High Court's perspective on Indian morality and IT regulations
In its March 2023 verdict, the High Court asserted that Indian morality and values should be evaluated within an Indian context, taking into account modern standards of decency and morality. It also encouraged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to implement more rigorous enforcement of its IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This judgment was subsequently contested in the Supreme Court.
Legal representation in the Supreme Court appeal
A single-judge HC bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had observed that she had to watch episodes of the show "using earphones" due to the "profanity of language used," which was deemed shocking. Senior Advocates Harish Salve, Mukul Rohatgi, Madhavi Divan, Sajan Poovayya, S Niranjan Reddy, and KV Viswanathan, along with other lawyers, represented TVF and the show's team during the hearings. The appeal was lodged by two teams spearheaded by advocate Yugandhara Pawar Jha and advocate EC Agarwala.
Meanwhile, here's everything about the show
College Romance, featuring Keshav Sadhna, Arora, Manjot Singh, and Gagan Arora, follows the adventures of three best friends, Karan, Naira, and Trippy, as they navigate love, laughter, and lasting memories during their college years. Season 1 premiered on TVF Play and YouTube in 2018, garnering positive feedback. The show's popularity led to renewals for Seasons 2 in 2021, Season 3 in 2022, and the fourth and final season in 2023.
