Case:- Vetri Maaran vs. The Chairman and Anr.
Citation:- WP No. 31016/2025
Bench:- Justice N.Anand Venkatesh
The Madras High Court 29.08.2025 directed acclaimed Director and Producer Vetri Maaran to make certain cuts and modifications in his upcoming Tamil movie ‘Manushi’.
Important Points-
- The Petitioner had approached the Hon’ble Madras High Court to quash around recommendations made by the Revising Committee of Central Board of Film Certification(CBFC), suggesting around 37 excisions/modifications in the movie.
- In a rare move, the Learned Judge attended a special screening to analyze the movie personally, before ruling on CBFC’s objections.
- The Hon’ble Court held that censorship must balance Article 19(1)(a) freedom of expression with Article 19(2) reasonable restrictions.
- The Hon’ble Court stressed that edits must be lawful, necessary, proportional, and procedurally safeguarded.
- The Hon’ble Court praised the movie by calling it a “poignant reflection” on how prejudice and state power can trample justice and at the same time the Hon’ble Court ordered 25 cuts and 12 modifications in the movie against the recommendation made by the CBFC.
- The Hon’ble Court also reminded the Board to protect artistic freedom instead of acting on mere surmises and conjectures., and set the deadline for two weeks to certify the film.
