Supreme Court Issues Guidelines on Portrayal of Disabled in Visual Media, Movies

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued guidelines against “disparaging” portrayal of persons with disabilities in visual media and films. The top court said that terms such as “cripple” and “spastic” have acquired “devalued meanings” in societal perceptions.

The apex court came up with this verdict on a case filed by one Nipun Malhotra alleging that the Hindi film ‘Aankh Micholi’ contained deprecatory references to differently-abled persons.

A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said, “Words cultivate institutional discrimination and terms such as cripple and spastic have come to acquire devalued meanings in societal perceptions about persons with disabilities.”

The bench said the film certification body CBFC must invite the opinion of experts before allowing screening.

“Visual media should strive to depict diverse realities of persons with disabilities, showcasing not only their challenges but also successes, talents and contribution to society. They should neither be lampooned based on myths nor presented as super cripples,” the bench added.