A revised committee of the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) issued an ‘A’ certificate to Malayalam film “Kathakali” on Thursday.
This comes a month after director Saijo Kannanaikkal approached the Kerala High Court, after the censor board refused to certify the film, taking objection to a couple of scenes featuring male nudity in it.
The censor board’s decision to deny certification to the film had sparked a controversy in June, with the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) strongly backing the film maker in his protest against the board’s decision.
The censor board had demanded that certain nude scenes, including the key climactic scene where the protagonist sheds his Kathakali outfit, be taken off.
The film will now be released in its original form without any of the cuts that the first censor board committee had recommended. “Kathakali” tells the story of a dhobi working near the Bharathapuzha River and the choices he makes in life.
Speaking to The News Minute, Saijo said that the film has managed to receive certification after nearly five months. “We had applied for certification in March and it took us this long to get the certification. The censor board’s rules were irrational. Though I am satisfied with the film getting certification, it is extremely disappointing that film makers have to resort to a High Court’s intervention in such matters.”
He added that the film will be released in January 2017, after being exhibited in various national and international film festivals.
Earlier in June, Saijo had released a music video ‘Justice for Kathakali movie’ mocking the censor board’s judgement, in which he sang, ‘I was born naked, I want to be naked’.