A week after the censorship debate over Bollywood film Udta Punjab, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has now got into a tussle with the Malayalam film industry after denial of certificate to the movie 'Kathakali' on grounds of nudity.
Malayalam film directors and technicians on Monday staged a dharna in front of the office of CBFC in Thiruvananthapuram, protesting denial of certification to the movie. CBFC had denied certificate claiming nudity and vulgarity in the film and demanded three cuts.
The movie-makers, with the backing of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), had moved the Kerala High Court in the matter.
The two-hour film on the life of a Kathakali artiste is directed by Sijo Kannanaikkal. Recently, the CBFC asked for three cuts to be “sanctioned for unrestricted public exhibition”.
The board wants the removal of a scene in which the protagonist Dasan is undressed and beaten up and another towards the end in which Dasan removes the Kathakali attire and walks towards the Bharathapuzha river.
Meanwhile, director Saijo had the perfect response to it – a hilarious music video on how he likes being naked.
"I was born naked, you have tied me with clothes...you have covered me with a mask..." goes the lyrics of the song.
Watch it above.