Bhojpuri actor and director Kamal Khan can now hope to breathe easy. The Bombay High Court on Friday lifted the ban from his film Deshdrohi.

With this nod from the High Court, the movie is now all set to hit the box-office across the Maharashtra. The ban on the film was imposed for the 60 days in the state in November last year.

Hearing a petition filed by Khan, a division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice DY Chandrachud said, “For its purpose of convenience and its inability to control situations the state cannot transgress on fundamental rights of the citizens.”

On the HC order, an elated Kamaal Khan said, “The high court’s order is a vindication of my stand that a film like ‘Deshdrohi’, which depicts the reality without casting aspersion against anybody, should never have been banned in Maharashtra. It was a pure coincidence that at the time the film was due to be released Nov 14, the MNS’ stir against north Indians happened to be at its peak.”

It may be here recalled that the government of Maharashtra has banned the movie in the state on the recommendation of the Mumbai Police. The Mumbai Police feels that the film’s release could pose a law and order problem in view of the anti-north Indians agitation launched at the time by the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

The film showcases the injustice and discrimination against north Indians in Mumbai.