Discriminatory to stop artistes above 65 years from working, says Bombay high court

The Bombay high court on Friday questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to not allow artistes above 65 years of age from working, acting or going on film and television sets since the re-opening of the entertainment industry last month. 

TThe court was hearing petitions filed by 70-year-old actor Pramod Pandey and the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMMPA). The pleas challenge the guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government on 30 May, prohibiting any cast or crew member below the age of 10 and above the age of 65 on the sets.

According to a report which appeared in the English daily, The Hindu, a division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and Riyaz Chagla asked the state counsel Poornima Kantharia if all senior citizens had been prohibited from resuming all types of professional work, to whch she said "No."

Kathawalla then asked, “If I am a 70-year-old man who owns a shop, will you stop me from opening my shop and sitting there all day?” When Kantharia again replied in the negative, Kathawalla questioned the basis of the guideline. “On what basis are you stopping artistes? Where else have you applied this rule? This is discrimination,” he stated. 

The high court directed Kantharia to file an affidavit citing the reasons for such a prohibition and also clarify if it had taken into account any data, statistics, or reports before issuing such prohibitory orders. The matter has now been adjourned till 29 July.