CBFC Seeks Removal of Beef Biryani Scene, Other Cuts in Film Spotlighting Communal Harmony, Inter-Religious Marriage

In its reasoning for seeking the removal of these scenes, the CBFC has said that they involve religious sensitivities and socio-cultural dynamics.

The Wire Staff

In its reasoning for seeking the removal of these scenes, the CBFC has said that they involve religious sensitivities and socio-cultural dynamics.

cbfc seeks removal of beef biryani scene other cuts in film spotlighting communal harmony inter religious marriage

Representative image of a movie theatre. Photo: Jake Hills on Unsplash

New Delhi: The makers of the Malayalam film, Haal have moved the Kerala high court after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told them to remove several scenes from the films before the film is certified for exhibition. In one such scene where the CBFC has raised its objection, the characters are consuming beef biryani, reported The Hindu.

Filmmaker Veera told the newspaper that the producers had initially planned to release the film on September 10 and had submitted it for certification to the regional office in Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of September. Even though the regional office had said that the film was as good as cleared but the makers were later told that it had been sent to a revising committee.

“The CBFC officials made such strange demands, and even told us that they will give only ‘A’ certificate for the movie even if we make these changes. They are claiming that the film has a hidden agenda. The film stands for the idea of inter-religious marriage, in which the individuals will continue to follow their respective religion without converting. It is a film which promotes communal harmony, but it seems the powers that be do not want the next generation to grow up with such ideas,” said Veera.

The other scenes which have been asked to be removed from the film include visuals of a character using a purdah to hide her identity, a scene where a few characters are wearing a rakhi usually used by Sangh Parivar activists on their wrists, a scene where a character says ‘Dhwaja Pranamam’ (a greeting associated with the RSS) along with a reference to ‘Ganapathi Vattam’ (the BJP had demanded that Sulthan Bathery’s name be changed to Ganapathi Vattam).

In its reasoning for seeking the removal of these scenes, the CBFC has said that they involve religious sensitivities and socio-cultural dynamics. So far, the release of the movie, which has been made with a budget of Rs. 16 crore, has been postponed twice.

After the makers moved the Kerala high court in wake of the further delay following the CBFCs demand for removal of scenes, the court on Thursday (October 9) directed the Union government’s counsel to make clear its stand during the next hearing on October 14, reported The Hindu.

This article went live on October tenth, two thousand twenty five, at nine minutes past twelve at noon.

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