Why 'most violent' Malayalam flick 'Marco' won't debut on TV
What's the story
The Malayalam film Marco, touted as the "most violent" Indian film ever made, has been denied satellite streaming rights by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The regional office of the CBFC rejected a plea from its producers to change its certification from 'A' to 'UA,' which would have allowed it to obtain TV rights.
This was confirmed by T Nadeem Thufali, regional officer of CBFC, to PTI on Wednesday.
Streaming details
'Marco' was released last year and is streaming on SonyLIV
Notably, the regional examination committee had rejected the application of Marco producers for category conversion on February 19.
The film, which stars Unni Mukundan and is one of the biggest grossers with an 'A' certificate, hit the screens on December 20 last year.
The movie has been streaming on the OTT platform SonyLIV since February 14.
Regulatory limitations
CBFC panel also commented on its OTT streaming
Thufali clarified that satellite rights are only given to films with 'U' or 'UA' certificates.
He stressed the need for parents to keep a check on their kids to prevent them from watching movies with extreme violence.
Although the committee recommended that Marco's streaming on SonyLIV should be prohibited, Thufali admitted that the CBFC doesn't have regulatory power over OTT platforms.
Public backlash
'Marco' has been criticized for glorifying violence
Marco, written and directed by Haneef Adeni, has been criticized by political, social, and cultural personalities for glorifying violence and misleading the youth.
The criticism comes at a time when crime rates in Kerala have seen a surge.
Defending the film against these allegations, Shareef Mohammed, the film's producer said a writer-director must depict what is necessary for the movie's subject on screen.
Mukundan also came to the project's defense, claiming they didn't glorify violence.
Industry reaction
Film industry's response to violence criticism
Marco actor Jagadish and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala have hit back at the Kerala government and police for criticizing violence in films.
They said films can't be blamed for inciting aggressive behavior.
The union issued a statement saying they are disappointed with those who blame cinema for violence. They added that cultural invasion can come from anywhere in today's media-saturated world.
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