Bollywood stars including Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhtar have criticised India's supreme court officials after they reinstated a ban on homosexuality.

A judgement on Wednesday (11Dec13) overturned a landmark 2009 Delhi High Court order decriminalising intercourse between same-sex partners. The reintroduction of the 153-year-old colonial law means someone convicted of engaging in gay sex faces a maximum 10-year jail sentence.

After the ruling was announced, a number of Indian movie stars took to Twitter.com to denounce the decision.

Actress Sharma writes, "So disappointed with the Sc (supreme court) verdict. Freedom is such a deceptive term. Rights are an ambiguous mystery."

Actor/director Akhtar adds, "The Supreme Court got it wrong today," while singer/actress Shruti Haasan wrote, "11.12.13 a day that reminds us how blatant regressing and oppressing someone has become - plan b move bedroom to another planet and time... (It is) frightening how someone else decides how when and who you should love - basically freedom of choice isn't legal anymore".

Filmmaker Anand Gandhi concludes, "Only a highly uninformed mind can have (the) arrogance of assuming that consenting adults having sex is any of their business."

Other stars from the international entertainment industry have also spoken out to condemn the ruling, with openly gay Australian singer Darren Hayes writing, "My experience of India is of the kindest most spiritual and loving beings on the planet. Doesn't make sense to me."

Actress Mia Farrow adds, "Very dark day for freedom and human rights as Indian Supreme Court rules to criminalise homosexuality."