Police officials from Hyderabad's Central Crime Station (CCS) are planning to issue a fresh notice to film director Ram Gopal Varma, after he failed to appear before authorities over his latest movie God, Sex and Truth.
A day before the release of the controversial movie with American porn star Mia Malkova, the Hyderabad police booked the filmmaker for obscenity, based on a complaint by a social activist.
Following this, RGV was issued a notice by the police and asked to appear at the CCS. However, his lawyer informed the police that he was out of town due to prior commitments and would appear before authorities soon.
The police are reported to be preparing a fresh notice with another date, and send it to the director.
On the complaint by activist Devi and others, the police had registered a case under section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
A police officer said the complainant cited some photographs allegedly posted by Varma on social media. One of these photographs is obscene.
The filmmaker was also booked under sections 506 and 509 of Indian Penal Code for allegedly making personal comments against her and others opposing the movie. He has been charged with insulting the modesty of a woman.
Last month, activists of All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), AP Mahila Samakhya and other groups raised slogans against Varma.
They alleged that Varma was releasing the movie on the internet, to avoid certification by authorities. They said the filmmaker is portraying a woman as a sex object and promoting pornography.
Varma has been facing strong reactions from women's groups since he released the trailer of the movie and made certain comments.
"I truly believe that there's no location on earth which is more beautiful and more monumental than a woman's body," Varma had tweeted alongside a snapshot from God, Sex and Truth, focussing on Malkova's bare abdomen.
The filmmaker says the video is about a "revolutionary sexual philosophy" as professed by Malkova and encapsulated by him.
IANS Inputs