'Manushi' row: Madras HC orders special screening on Aug 24, Vetri Maaran and Censor Board members to attend

'Manushi', starring Andrea Jeremiah in the lead role, is directed by Gopi Nayinar and produced by director Vetri Maaran. The Censor Board declared 37 scenes and dialogues in the film objectionable and ordered their removal. Challenging this, Vetri Maaran filed a case in the Madras High Court on behalf of the production company.

Defense argues no objectionable scenes in 'Manushi'

The case came up for hearing before Judge N. Anand Venkatesh. According to The Hindu Tamil, lawyers representing Vetri Maaran argued that Manushi contained no objectionable scenes and stressed that the Censor Board’s demand to remove 37 scenes violated established rules. They also asserted that it was within the High Court’s jurisdiction to make the final decision on the film.

Judge orders special screening for 'Manushi'

After hearing the arguments, the judge observed that the most direct way to determine whether the film contained objectionable content was to watch it. Accordingly, the court ordered a special screening of Manushi on August 24 at a theater on the premises of the Chennai Music College. The judge further directed that members of the Censor Board and producer Vetri Maaran must be present during the screening.

Creative freedom vs censorship authority

With this order, the court will itself decide whether the Censor Board’s objections to Manushi are valid. This move has added a new dimension to the ongoing debate over creative freedom and the authority of the censor board. For the film’s team and fans alike, the August 24 screening has now become a decisive moment.