Thiruvananthapuram: The Regional Officer of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Nadeem Thufali T, has written to the CBFC chairperson for Centre’s intervention to prevent the screening of the movie ‘Marco’ on OTT platforms. The CBFC has already rejected the satellite rights for the movie for television screening due to the extremely violent content.
“Marco has already been certified A by the CBFC. Parents should exercise caution when allowing children to watch such films. The CBFC’s role is limited to certification and does not involve censorship. We have rejected the satellite rights for the movie Marco as it’s not suitable for a family audience,” Nadeem Thufali told Manorama News. The film received an A certification from the Central Board of Film Certification due to extreme bloody violence.
Meanwhile, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) has criticised political leaders and youth associations for linking recent violence in society to violent themes in films. In a strongly worded social media statement, the association dismissed such claims as based on a flawed reflection theory regarding cinema’s influence on society.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Monday alleged that films and television serials glorify violence, warning of their potential impact on young minds. Citing the recent Malayalam film Avesham as an example, he referred to a police report stating that some students, after watching the film, attempted to associate with real-life gangsters.
He made these remarks during an adjournment motion in the Assembly, which suspended regular business to discuss the rising incidents of violence in the state. The discussion followed the death of a Class 10 student last week during a clash in Thamarassery, Kozhikode district.
Responding to the controversy, Marco’s producer Shareef Muhammed stated, “The intensity of violence will be reduced in my next film.”
He added that the team behind his new film, ‘Kaattalan’, has been given specific instructions in this regard. ‘Marco’ was never intended to promote violence, and bringing cinematic violence into real life is a harmful trend. The recent news reports serve as a reminder that filmmakers need to exercise caution, he told Manorama News.
Marco, released in December 2024, is a Malayalam action thriller directed and written by Haneef Adeni. The film follows gangster Marco and the influential Adat family, who control Kerala’s gold mafia. Unni Mukundan plays the titular role in the movie, alongside Siddique and Jagadish.
