The Madras High Court has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) why certification had been denied to an upcoming Tamil film, Manushi, without providing any specific reasons. The court pulled up the CBFC on June 4 while hearing a plea by the film’s producer and national award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran. Further, the court asked why the CBFC had not provided a list of scenes, visuals, dialogues or any other content it deemed objectionable.
According to The Hindu, Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who heard the case, reportedly said, “Making a movie is a part of the right to speech and expression. As such, the filmmakers are already suffering from a lot of difficulties. You cannot deny certification for an entire movie without specifying the objectionable portions and expect a filmmaker to shoot the entire movie afresh.”
Manushi is directed by Gopi Nainar and produced by Vetrimaran’s Grass Root Film Company. According to reports, the film was first submitted to the CBFC on September 11, 2024.
Earlier on June 3, Vetrimaaran had approached the court after the Regional Officer of the CBFC denied certification for Manushi, claiming that the film went against the State’s integrity. According to reports, the CBFC had alleged—without citing any specific scenes—that Manushi defames government policies; promotes a north/south divide; and goes against the interests of the country.
Reacting to the CBFC’s claims, the judge said, “These conclusions are not subjective, but based on objective facts, which are discernible from various scenes in the movie. Therefore, if at all the petitioner is required to edit those portions, he must be informed about the specific portions that required such editing,” The Hindu also reports.
According to Live Law, Vetrimaaran told the court that after the Regional Officer’s denial of certification, he had sent the film to the CBFC’s Revising Committee. However, the Committee upheld the Regional Officer’s decision without providing Vetrimaaran with a personal hearing, Live Law further reports.
Vetrimaaran also reportedly said in court that the procedure adopted by the CBFC was not in accordance with the provisions of The Cinematograph Act. He added that the CBFC’s actions were arbitrary, unreasonable and violated his right to trade and occupation, reports say.
Further, he reportedly expressed willingness to edit any objectionable scenes and dialogues as long as the requested cuts did not violate his constitutionally guaranteed Freedom of Speech and Expression as per Article 19.
The Madras High Court has now directed the CBFC to file its response by July 11.
Manushi’s trailer, released by actor Vijay Sethupathi in April 2024, has already received widespread praise for its portrayal of custodial torture and caste. The film stars Andrea Jeremiah in the lead role, with actors Nasser, Tamizh, Hakkim Shah, and Balaji Sakthivel in other key roles. Acclaimed musician Ilaiyaraaja had scored the film’s music.