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Journalism of Courage
The Kerala High Court on October 25 watched the Malayalam movie ‘Haal’, the makers of which moved the court after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked them to remove and modify several scenes and dialogues in the film.
Justice V G Arun on October 21 said he will watch the movie on October 25.
A source privy to the development told The Indian Express that Justice V G Arun watched the nearly 2-hour-10-minute-long movie on the evening of October 25.
Apart from the judge, the petitioners, the producer and the director of the film, were present during the screening. There were also standing counsel of the Centre, lawyers for the CBFC, and lawyers representing other parties.
The CBFC suggested modifications in the scenes, including the ‘beef biryani eating’ scene and a sequence in a song where a woman uses a burqa to hide her identity.
The filmmaker moved the high court after the CBFC proposed an ‘A’ certificate to the film.
The makers were also asked to modify several parts, including a police interrogation scene, blur the name of ‘Holy Angels College of Nursing’, and to get the consent of the Thamrassery Bishop regarding the scenes in which he is depicted.
The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on October 30 to decide the censorship proposal of the CBFC and its final certification.
The director of the film, Veera, said the CBFC’s regional office in Thiruvananthapuram had earlier agreed to issue a screening certificate. “Later, without informing us, the movie was referred to the revising committee in Mumbai, which denied the certificate and wanted cuts and modifications made,” he said.
“The narrative of the film deals with socio-cultural dynamics and also involves religious sensitivities. Hence, the revising committee unanimously recommended grant of ‘A’ (certified as suitable for adults only) with modifications to the film,” the CBFC informed JVJ Productions.
The regional office of the CBFC informed the producer that the revising committee and the board have come to the conclusion that the film is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, but may be suitable for public exhibition restricted to adults after making deletions and modifications.
The petitioners, producer Juby Thomas and director Veera, sought a direction from the court to the CBFC that the film be given a screening certificate at the earliest.
