Actor and producer Tovino Thomas has responded to the screening ban of the film Maranamass in Saudi Arabia and partial censorship in Kuwait, stating that the restrictions are in accordance with the respective countries' legal frameworks.

Directed by debutant Sivaprasad and starring Basil Joseph in the lead role, Maranamass has reportedly faced a complete ban in Saudi Arabia and scene cuts in Kuwait, particularly in both halves of the film. According to reports, the Saudi ban was linked to the presence of a transgender character in the cast.

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Speaking at a press conference following the film's release, Tovino said, “In Kuwait, a few scenes had to be removed. In Saudi Arabia, screening wasn’t permitted at all. That’s how the law works in different countries. If it were our own country, we could question it — maybe even fight it. But in other countries, the legal frameworks differ, and at the moment, there’s nothing we can do.”

However, he remained positive about the film's wider reception.

“It’s not something we should be overly concerned about. The film has been released in many other places where there have been no issues, and audiences have embraced it warmly. Each country has its own laws, and people in several places found no problem with the content,” the young said.

Reflecting on Saudi Arabia, Tovino added, “We all know about Saudi. The country I saw in 2023 wasn’t the same as the one I visited in 2019. Give it time — they are evolving in their own way. If we look at our own country and analyse whether India has become more progressive or regressive over the last five years, it’s difficult to say. I’m not exactly sure what has happened to us during this time — whether we’ve truly made progress or if things have taken a downturn. I honestly can’t say for certain.”

Tovino reiterated his uncertainty when asked about his personal stance on issues, saying he had mixed feelings.