Madras HC Judge to view 'Manushi' amid row over 37 cuts by censor board

Chennai, Aug 19 (IANS) In an unusual step, the Madras High Court will directly review the Tamil film 'Manushi' following a bitter standoff between its makers and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, hearing a petition filed by the film's producer C. Vetri Maaran, on Tuesday ordered a private screening of the film on August 24 in Chennai to determine whether the censor board was justified in demanding 37 cuts.

The film, produced by Vetri Maaran's Grassroot Film Company and directed by Gopi Nainar, known for his earlier work 'Aramm', stars Andrea Jeremiah in the lead role.

It depicts the custodial torture of a woman suspected of being a terrorist, a subject that has already drawn attention since the release of its trailer by actor Vijay Sethupathi in April 2024.

Trouble began in September 2024 when both the examining and reviewing committees of the CBFC refused to grant a censor certificate.

They objected to the film because it portrayed the State in a "negative light" and claimed it blurred the lines between "leftist communism" and "mainstream communism".

The rejection was challenged by Vetri Maaran in June this year, when he filed a writ petition alleging that the CBFC had acted without transparency by neither providing him an opportunity to defend the film nor spelling out specific objections.

He further requested the constitution of an expert panel, including human rights activists, to re-examine the film.

The High Court, while hearing that earlier petition, recorded the CBFC's submission that it had reviewed the film again and listed objectionable sequences.

The petition was disposed of in June, with the court granting the producer liberty to pursue the matter further in law.

However, Vetri Maaran returned to court with a fresh petition, arguing that the board's objections were excessive and arbitrary.

He pointed out that even simple dialogues, such as the colloquial insult "saniyan", had been flagged for removal, which he argued violated the CBFC's guidelines.

Responding to these claims, Justice Venkatesh remarked that the only way forward was to personally watch the film along with the censor board members to verify the validity of the objections.

He directed that the screening be held at a private theatre on Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran Salai (formerly Greenways Road) and asked senior central government panel counsel A. Kumaraguru to ensure the attendance of CBFC officials.

The High Court's decision to step into the censor dispute sets the stage for an extraordinary judicial review of 'Manushi'.

The outcome of this screening will not only decide the film's release but could also influence wider debates on censorship and creative freedom in Indian cinema.

--IANS

aal/svn