Censor Board orders cuts in Shane Nigam’s Haal over beef biryani scene

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has denied a screening certificate to the Malayalam film Haal

Transcript

00:00Is India's censor board going hard on Malayalam movies?

00:03The Central Board of Film Certification, or CBFC, has denied a screening certificate to

00:07the Malayalam film Haal, starring Shane Nigam.

00:10The board cited several reasons, including scenes showing the eating of beef biryani and

00:14the depiction of the Thamarasari bishop.

00:17Filmmakers Juby Thompson, the producer, and Mohamad Rafiq, the director, have approached

00:21the Kerala High Court, challenging the decision.

00:23They argue that the CBFC's demand cuts, 15 in total, are excessive and infringe upon

00:28the artistic freedom.

00:30According to the petition, the CBFC's revising committee deemed the film not suitable for

00:34unrestricted public exhibition, recommended it be cleared only for adult audiences and

00:39only after multiple excisions.

00:42The directors included deleting specific dialogues, removing the beef biryani scene, blurring visuals

00:47like a rakhi, and securing written consent from the Thamarasari bishop's house for certain

00:52depictions.

00:53The board also flagged portions portraying the police and Kerala authorities negatively and

00:57instructed modifications to avoid suggesting discrimination against religious groups.

01:02The High Court has now sought a response from the central government on the filmmakers'

01:05challenge.

01:06Meanwhile, the release of Haal remains on hold, intensifying anticipation for one of Malayalam

01:11cinema's most-talked-about projects this year.

01:14This isn't an isolated case.

01:16Recently, the union minister Suresh Guppi-starrer Janaki vs State of Kerala was denied certification

01:21because the name Janaki, another name for Lord Rama's wife Sita, could affect religious

01:26sentiments.

01:27The producers went to court and the title was changed to Janaki V vs State of Kerala.

01:31Even with cuts, the CBFC insisted on an A-certificate due to the film's social and religious themes.

01:37Similarly, M. Purim faced voluntary censorship.

01:40Producers implemented 17 cuts and muted dialogues after backlash from right-wing groups over depictions

01:45of communal violence in political themes.

01:47Although the CBFC initially recommended only minor edits, the additional changes reflected

01:52the growing pressures filmmakers face today.

01:55These cases highlight a tense climate in Malayalam cinema in 2025, where artistic freedom often

02:00collides with social, political and religious scrutiny.