On Monday, the Bombay High Court directed Bollywood actors to forego fees for anti‑fireworks campaigns amid Mumbai’s worsening air and noise pollution during Navratri. The division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Neela Gokhale expressed disquiet when reporters highlighted that some stars charge hefty sums for such appearances.
The judges urged that celebrities, who have benefited from the city’s prosperity, should return a gesture of goodwill instead of profiting from public funds. They cited the city’s annual police event "Umang" as a precedent where stars appear without charge, and suggested Marathi actors step in if Bollywood’s participation remains costly.
The hearing also applauded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for their multi‑channel awareness push, including newspaper ads, TV spots, radio jingles, and a school‑oath programme. A proposed helpline, 1916, was noted as a tool for residents to report fireworks violations, and the bench specifically called for extra outreach in slum pockets where midnight crackles still erupt.
Moving forward, the court will monitor the city’s compliance with its directive and may impose penalties on firms or individuals that continue to demand remuneration for the anti‑fireworks drive. The ruling signals a sharper stance on public‑money misuse and a push for civic responsibility from the country’s biggest film icons.