"I believe," tweeted co-producer Anurag Kashyap, who led the charge on behalf of the film. "See you at the movies on 17th June," tweeted Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures, also a producer.
Anurag also thanked the court for its decision:
Thank you To the honourable Judge, thank you all for the faith and support.. Time to get back to work.. Two back to back releases..
- Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) June 13, 2016
Shahid and Alia, who play the drug addicted rockstar and Bihari migrant at the centre of the film's plot, were among the first to tweet as was filmmaker Karan Johar.
And FINALLY #UdtaPunjab will flyyyyy!!Here's to freedom of expression, to our judiciary, to the industry, to the media and to YOU ALL!!
- Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) June 13, 2016
Here we come !!!!! #UdtaPunjabOn17thJune @shahidkapoor @diljitdosanjh #kareenakapoor @EkmainaurEktu7 @FuhSePhantom @balajimotionpic
- Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) June 13, 2016
Landmark judgement#UdtaPunjab will fly and so will the voice of freedom and expression. Thank you all for the support. This is your victory
- Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) June 13, 2016
And justice there is!!!!!!!!! #BombayHighCourt ....#UdtaPunjab ...as a filmmaker I feel empowered and relieved!!!!
- Karan Johar (@karanjohar) June 13, 2016
Am an eternal optimist...and I know that #UdtaPunjab has paved the way for cinema liberation....a filmmaker is reborn today in india...
- Karan Johar (@karanjohar) June 13, 2016
Udta Punjab director Abhishek Chaubey and co-producer Madhu Mantena told news agency ANI:
Massively relieved today, looking to release the film on the scheduled date: Abhishek Chaubey,Director of #UdtaPunjab pic.twitter.com/AlhvCO9csH
- ANI (@ANI_news) June 13, 2016
A judgement for the whole film industry not just us, its awesome: Madhu Mantena Verma,Co producer of #UdtaPunjab pic.twitter.com/VIo4nM1xgG
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 13, 2016
Producer Mukesh Bhatt told NDTV, "First as a filmmaker and then also as the President of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, today I'm a relieved man. With the verdict coming in the favour of freedom of expression I have reassured myself that in this country that as a filmmaker, not only me but a generation next, will be allowed to make films and create content freely without a watchdog hovering over their heads. We were petrified thinking that we are heading towards a very dark age. But the judiciary has rekindled the hope in us and reassured us that there is the break of a new dawn through the judiciary."
Director Sudhir Mishra also spoke to NDTV: "I think it's wonderful and it speaks very well for the democracy we're living in. I'm so glad that the industry stood by the filmmakers. The industry came together after a long time and spoke in one voice. Therefore I'm really happy for younger filmmakers who will now think without fear and the industry will evolve as it should. Filmmakers will make films about their times - entertaining, engaging, interesting, engrossing and relevant films. The chairman (Pahlaj Nihalani) is a filmmaker and you should understand that words are used in a context, in a style. You can't just arbitrarily use the guidelines. You have to use it in a spirit and not literally like they do."
Speaking to NDTV, filmmaker Vikas Bahl said: "I think it's a very good verdict. It's very well judged. Everyone has gone through all the pros and cons of what has happened. It was important that this happens, not just for Udta Punjab but it's important for every other film that is going to be written, created over the next many, many years in this country. I think we used to make extremely futuristic movies in this country. Storytelling was amazing many years back. We have to come back to that. We have to be fearless, we have to be honest. We have to make all kinds of movies. And I think this verdict is excellent from that point of view."
Shyam Benegal, who heads the government-appointed revamp panel of the Central Board of Film Certification, told NDTV: "I think the Bombay High Court's judgement is the perfect judgement. It is mature, it is intelligent. The most important thing very few people realise is that people who applied for the censor certificate has asked for an 'A' certificate anyway. They had not asked for a 'U' certificate or 'U/A' certificate. And there was no need for the CBFC to go through that exercise. Eventually the high Court took cognizance of the fact that this is an adult film. It deals with a very important problem and a serious problem also. And therefore I think they took the right kind of judgement. No one can bother with the judgement at all. And I think the cut that they had asked for, seems perfectly fine to me."
Celebrities like actresses Sonakshi Sinha and Dia Mirza, filmmakers Madhur Bhandarkar and Hansal Mehta and author Chetan Bhagat also tweeted:
The #UdtaPunjabVerdict is not only a victory for the film but for the entire industry! Well done @anuragkashyap72 and team..all the best!
- Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) June 13, 2016
The triumph of #UdtaPunjab is the victory of #Democracy. And a victory for the spirit that DOES NOT GIVE IN OR GIVE UP.
- Dia Mirza (@deespeak) June 13, 2016
Landmark judgement by the honorable Bombay High Court on #UdtaPunjab. Great victory for the filmmakers.
- Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) June 13, 2016
1/ Am delighted, relieved and elated that #UdtaPunjab has been finally cleared for release by the Hon'ble Court. This became our battle
- Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 13, 2016
2/ although it wasn't necessarily our film. What is unfortunate is the fact that a filmmaker had to be put through such an ordeal in order
- Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 13, 2016
3/ to get redressal for the unjustifiable interpretation of guidelines by the inept CBFC. Moral of the story : Censorship must end. Certify,
- Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 13, 2016
4/ don't censor our work. We are creative artists and we are usually responsible. Have faith in us.
- Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 13, 2016
I applaud all the brilliant observations made by the Court where it speaks about the FOE of a filmmaker.#UdtaPunjabVerdict.
- Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) June 13, 2016
Can't wait for courts to put an out of date, regressive, misplaced sycophant censor chief in his place. #UdtaPunjab
- Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 13, 2016
Big congrats to team Udta Punjab for victory in high court. Big congrats to all Indians. We still live in a free country. #UdtaPunjabVerdict
- Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 13, 2016
India is a great nation and part of its greatness comes from the freedom of expression we enjoy.#UdtaPunjabVerdict validates that greatness
- Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 13, 2016
Censor chief stifled creativity & years of hard work, made a filmmaker vulnerable and spoilt India's image. HC saved it #UdtaPunjabVerdict
- Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 13, 2016
Udta Punjab deals with drug abuse in Punjab and also stars Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh.
