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AFP
NEW DELHI An Indian actress won a legal battle over comments she made about pre-marital sex when the Supreme Court Wednesday threw out 22 cases lodged against her by outraged members of the public.
Khushboo, a 39-year-old Tamil actress who uses only one name, appealed to the court to quash the criminal cases that were filed in 2005 following remarks she made in magazine interviews.
She told one publication that "no educated man would expect his (bride) to be a virgin" -- sparking a scandal across southern India, where she is a popular movie star and television presenter.
Pinky Anand, Khushboo's lawyer, said the Supreme Court had ruled in her client's favour, adding that she was "delighted when the fundamental rights of speech and expression and opinion are upheld."
"Our arguments were not trying to justify live-in partnerships, or that pre-marital sex is OK," Anand told reporters. "But don't let us say these things are not talked about and not heard of."
Khushboo appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court in the southern city of Chennai dismissed her plea for the cases -- which accused her of corrupting young minds by promoting pre-marital sex -- to be dismissed.
"Every celebrity is pinned down for no rhyme or reason and that is quite a harassment," she told NDTV news after Wednesday's verdict. "It's not an easy task for a woman to stand alone and say 'I believe in what I have spoken'."
Marriage remains the central focus of most Indian lives, with weddings celebrated in lavish style and many households made up of extended families including grandparents, parents, children and assorted relatives.
Earlier during the Supreme Court case, judges had supported the right of unmarried couples to live together -- pointing out that even Hindu gods Lord Krishna and Radha were co-habiting lovers.
The judges challenged lawyers acting for the complainants to produce evidence of any girl running away from her family with a lover in response to the actress's comments.
Copyright © 2010 AFP.
I believe in what I said: Khushboo
With the apex court giving her a clean chit on Wednesday, southern actress Khushboo said she stood by her comments on pre-marital sex and live-in relationships and that celebrities were pinned down for no rhyme or reason.
"When you look around, every celebrity is pinned down for no rhyme or reason and that is quite a harassment," Khushboo told NDTV in an interview. "I knew what I had spoken...it's not an easy task for a woman to stand alone and say 'I believe in what I have spoken'," she added.
The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed criminal cases against Tamil actress Khushboo for making a controversial statement endorsing pre-marital sex and live-in relationships.
A bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice B.S. Chauhan quashed 22 criminal cases against her saying Khushboo's statement on the issue of pre-marital sex and live-in relationships was her personal view and the Indian constitution entitles her to express it.
Khushboo claims she was misquoted in a Tamil newspaper and that her remarks about pre-marital sex and living together were made as part of a discussion on AIDS and HIV.
"A woman and actor combined together made a statement that made sense...and that was the problem, I think," she said.
NEW DELHI An Indian actress won a legal battle over comments she made about pre-marital sex when the Supreme Court Wednesday threw out 22 cases lodged against her by outraged members of the public.
Khushboo, a 39-year-old Tamil actress who uses only one name, appealed to the court to quash the criminal cases that were filed in 2005 following remarks she made in magazine interviews.
She told one publication that "no educated man would expect his (bride) to be a virgin" -- sparking a scandal across southern India, where she is a popular movie star and television presenter.
Pinky Anand, Khushboo's lawyer, said the Supreme Court had ruled in her client's favour, adding that she was "delighted when the fundamental rights of speech and expression and opinion are upheld."
"Our arguments were not trying to justify live-in partnerships, or that pre-marital sex is OK," Anand told reporters. "But don't let us say these things are not talked about and not heard of."
Khushboo appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court in the southern city of Chennai dismissed her plea for the cases -- which accused her of corrupting young minds by promoting pre-marital sex -- to be dismissed.
"Every celebrity is pinned down for no rhyme or reason and that is quite a harassment," she told NDTV news after Wednesday's verdict. "It's not an easy task for a woman to stand alone and say 'I believe in what I have spoken'."
Marriage remains the central focus of most Indian lives, with weddings celebrated in lavish style and many households made up of extended families including grandparents, parents, children and assorted relatives.
Earlier during the Supreme Court case, judges had supported the right of unmarried couples to live together -- pointing out that even Hindu gods Lord Krishna and Radha were co-habiting lovers.
The judges challenged lawyers acting for the complainants to produce evidence of any girl running away from her family with a lover in response to the actress's comments.
Copyright © 2010 AFP.
I believe in what I said: Khushboo
With the apex court giving her a clean chit on Wednesday, southern actress Khushboo said she stood by her comments on pre-marital sex and live-in relationships and that celebrities were pinned down for no rhyme or reason.
"When you look around, every celebrity is pinned down for no rhyme or reason and that is quite a harassment," Khushboo told NDTV in an interview. "I knew what I had spoken...it's not an easy task for a woman to stand alone and say 'I believe in what I have spoken'," she added.
The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed criminal cases against Tamil actress Khushboo for making a controversial statement endorsing pre-marital sex and live-in relationships.
A bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice B.S. Chauhan quashed 22 criminal cases against her saying Khushboo's statement on the issue of pre-marital sex and live-in relationships was her personal view and the Indian constitution entitles her to express it.
Khushboo claims she was misquoted in a Tamil newspaper and that her remarks about pre-marital sex and living together were made as part of a discussion on AIDS and HIV.
"A woman and actor combined together made a statement that made sense...and that was the problem, I think," she said.
