‘Approach Censor Board again after making two changes’: Kerala High Court directs ‘Haal’ producers

Kochi: The High Court has disposed of the petition filed by the makers of Haal, who had challenged the Censor Board’s direction to grant an A certificate along with around 15 edits. The court instructed the filmmakers to make two of the changes suggested by the Board and then resubmit the film for approval. The Censor Board has been directed to take a decision within two weeks.

The court ordered that certain portions of a scene related to court proceedings be modified. It also upheld the Censor Board’s instructions to remove a scene showing the consumption of beef biryani, delete dialogues that allegedly insult certain cultural organisations and obscure visuals showing ‘rakhi’.

The Censor Board had earlier recommended 15 modifications to the film. The storyline revolves around a romance between a Muslim man and a Christian woman. Among the Board’s directives were the removal of the beef biryani scene, alterations to sequences involving Christian sentiments and obscuring of scenes where rakhi is shown. The Board had also demanded the deletion of dialogues such as “saluting the flag” and “Sangh is there to guard”, as well as scenes showing the heroine dressed in Muslim attire. The Board had stated it would grant an A certificate once these changes were made.

The case was heard by the bench of Justice V G Arun, who had watched the film. The Catholic Congress and an RSS leader had joined the case opposing the petition.