In a setback to the makers of superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Coolie, the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea by Sun TV Network, the film’s producer, challenging the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) decision to grant the movie an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate.
Justice T V Thamil Selvi, while rejecting the petition, observed that the plea lacked merit and upheld the CBFC’s decision.
Producer Sought U/A Certificate
The petitioner, Sun TV Network, had requested the court to direct the CBFC to reclassify the film under a U/A (Parental Guidance) certificate, which would allow children below 18 to watch the movie under adult supervision.
The production house argued that the ‘A’ certificate restricted the film’s audience base by preventing younger viewers from accessing it.
Argument Of The Producers
According to the petition, Coolie was unfairly restricted despite the makers complying with CBFC guidelines. They said the board had issued an ‘A’ certificate despite cuts and modifications made during certification, including:
- Removal of obscene words
- Masking of liquor consumption scenes
- Adhering to other stipulated conditions
The producers further contended that action sequences are integral to Tamil cinema and that the presence of fight scenes should not automatically result in an ‘A’ certification.
CBFC’s Counter-Argument
The CBFC, however, opposed the plea, stating that the film contained graphic and violent action sequences, which justified the Adults Only rating. The board maintained that the decision was taken unanimously by all its members after a detailed review.
Furthermore, it also pointed out that the filmmakers had initially accepted the ‘A’ certificate but later approached the court for a downgrade to U/A. The board clarified that if the producers wanted a U/A classification, all violent scenes would have to be removed to make the film suitable for younger audiences.
Court’s Decision
After hearing both sides, the court refused to interfere with the CBFC’s decision, stating that the petition lacked grounds for relief. With this, the court upheld the CBFC’s authority in certifying films based on content guidelines and viewer safety.
The ruling means that Coolie, one of Rajinikanth’s most anticipated films, will now be released with an ‘A’ certificate, restricting its viewership to adults.
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