Family of Dalit Girl Who Killed Herself Over NEET Moves Court Seeking Stay on Film Based on Her Life

Chennai: The family of S Anitha, the Tamil Nadu student who committed suicide in 2017 after failing to clear NEET, has approached the Madras High Court seeking a stay on a film based on her life titled ‘Dr S Anitha MBBS’.

The family, in its petition, said it had not given its consent to anyone to produce a film on their daughter and despite approaching the filmmaker several times, the movie was not dropped. The petition says the filmmakers are infringing upon Anitha’s privacy, which was against her fundamental rights. They have also sued the filmmakers for Rs 25 lakh in damages.

The petition states: “The plaintiff therefore prays for a judgment and decree against the defendant for a direction directing the defendant to pay a sum of Rs 25,01, 000 towards damages for the sufferings gone through by the plaintiff and his family members because of the publication of film promotions in the name of 'Dr S Anitha MBBS' based on the life and history of plaintiff's daughter and a permanent injunction restraining the defendant from producing the film.”

Produced by RJ Pictures, the film was announced in March 2018 and Bigg Boss Tamil Season 1 contestant Julie was roped in to play the lead character. Julie rose to fame during the Jallikattu protests in 2017 when her videos lashing out at the ruling AIADMK government went viral.

Anitha, the 17-year-old Dalit girl who was the face of the fight against NEET, took her life just over a week after the Supreme Court ruled that medical college admissions in Tamil Nadu will be based on the national admission test. The daughter of a daily wage labourer, she had failed to secure a seat in the course, which left her disappointed. Anitha, who was one of the respondents against the plea in the Supreme Court, committed suicide at her residence in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu. She had secured 1176 out of 1200 in her board examination, but got just 86 out of 700 in NEET and thus could not gain admission in a medical college.