The Patan High Court has issued an interlocutory order asking authorities not to intervene in the screening of any movie passed by the censor board.

A single bench of judge Dhir Bahadur Chand, on Thursday, ordered that the screening of films that have acquired permission from the censor board not be stopped.

According to Bhaskar Dhungana, president of the Nepal Motion Picture Association, the petitioners are waiting for a written order from the court.

“Now we will screen all movies passed by the censor board,” Dhungana said.

With the order, the court has invalidated Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s June 18 decision to ban the screening of Indian films within the metropolis, clearing the way for the resumption of the screening of ‘Adipurush’—a recently-released Indian mythological action film based on the Hindu epic ‘Ramayan’.

Meanwhile, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah has challenged the court order, stating that he would not abide by any law or court order when it comes to the sovereignty and independence of Nepal.

“If questions are raised against the sovereignty and independence of Nepal, I will not abide by any law or court,” Shah wrote on Facebook.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the court’s decision, Shah added that the court and the government had become ‘slaves’ to the southern neighbour.

“To label the municipality’s decision as a stunt and to allow the screening of the film [Adipurush] clearly shows that Nepal has been making decisions in India’s favour and that the government and the court have become ‘slaves’ to India” the post reads.

Shah further added that he would not allow the film to be screened, come what may.

“I am ready to face any consequences, but the film will not be screened, I will not let that happen.”

Shah, on June 18, had taken to his Twitter and Facebook accounts to announce the metropolis’ decision to bar all Indian movies from screening at cinemas within Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

The mayor’s decision created a domino effect, causing the screening of the Indian movie ‘Adipurush’ to be banned nationwide.

Following the decision, the Nepal Motion Picture Association, the organisation of cinema hall owners, moved the court seeking a legal solution to the issue.