CBFC blocks Malayalam film Marco's TV release, also seeks OTT ban; here is why
Nadeem Thufail T, the regional officer of CBFC, has also written to the CBFC chairperson, requesting intervention to remove the film from OTT platforms as well.
Marco poster (IANS)
CHENNAI: Having gained attention for being one of the most violent Malayalam films ever, actor Unni Mukundan's Marco has now had its satellite release banned by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Nadeem Thufail T, the regional officer of CBFC, has also written to the CBFC chairperson, requesting intervention to remove the film from OTT platforms as well.
Speaking to Manorama News, Nadeem stated that the film was certified ‘A’ and clarified that the body's role was limited to certification, not censorship. He also added that the CBFC blocked the film’s satellite release as it is not suitable for a family audience.
Directed by Haneef Adeni, Marco is a spin-off of his 2019 film Mikhael. The story follows a criminal who goes on a bloody rampage to avenge his blind foster brother’s murder. Released on December 20 last year, the film is currently streaming on Sony Liv and Amazon Prime, after having raked in nearly Rs 100 crore.
The satellite ban comes a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while addressing the state assembly, spoke about the impact of visual media on the rising drug menace and violence in Kerala.
He supported his statement with the example of Fahadh Faasil-starrer Aavesham, citing a police report about a few students attempting to associate with real-life gangsters inspired by the film. The Chief Minister even quoted the viral dialogue from the movie, "Eda Mone," to emphasise how content can influence the youth. His statement comes in the light of a series of disturbing incidents involving youth including the recent killing of a Class 10 boy in Kozhikode by students of two schools in a neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, in response to the developments, the producer of Marco, Shareef Muhammed, in a chat with Asianet News, said that he would avoid making such films in the future. He also explained that marketing Marco as "The Most Violent Film" was an attempt to be transparent and that the film's 'A' certificate clearly meant it wasn't meant for children.
On the other hand, refuting concerns raised by the Chief Minister and others about the adverse influence of cinema on society, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) in a detailed Facebook post said, "...The violence depicted in cinema is the root cause of social evils is based on a highly simplistic and weakly justified reflection theory."
