The Madras High Court on Thursday (August 28, 2025) dismissed a civil diverse appeal filed by Sun TV Network Limited, which was against the grant of ‘A’ certificate to Rajinikanth-Starrer. CoolieDue to which it is impregnable for people under 18 years of age to watch a film in cinema’saters.
Justice TV Thumelselvi rejected the appeal filed by the production house under Section 5 of the Copyright Act of 1957. The appellant challenged the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) decision that the film was to be seen due to their violent material and continuous depiction of smoking and alcohol consumption by children.
Defending its decision before the High Court, the board said, Section 58 (2) of the Cinematograph Act authorizes the Center to issue such instructions, as it may fit, determine principles that determine the principles that will guide CBFC in issuing suitable certificates for films for public exhibitions.
Accordingly, the Center issued guidelines in 1991, in which CBFCs needed to ensure that the medium of cinema remains responsible and sensitive to the values and standards of the society, provides clean and healthy entertainment, and that films were aesthetical value and cinematically good standard.
In pursuing those objectives, the CBFC was expected to ensure that anti -social activities and violence were not glorified or appropriate in cinema. This was expected to avoid vain scenes of violence, cruelty, or scary, as well as scenes of violence, which could have the effect of making the audience inhuman.
Saying that every film is judged by the board in its entirety, not only one or two scenes or scenes, the CBFC told the court that Coolie The investigation was done as per the guidelines and it was issued by the five-sector examination committee only one ‘A’ certificate as well as by the 10-member Amendment Committee.
The board also told the court that members of the examination committee were completely different from the members of the Amendment Committee, and were later chaired by a CBFC member, a famous film director and recipient of eight National Awards and 15 State Awards.
“After watching the film and a detailed and threadbear discussion, the Amendment Committee also recommended the grant of a ‘A’ certificate. Coolie Because it contained frequent and widespread violence, besides smoking and drinking alcohol -sometimes with the use of poor language, in addition to drinking alcohol, ”said Additional Solicitor General ARL Bensanon.
During an oral hearing by the Amendment Committee, the filmmakers had informed that if they wanted U/A certification for the film, they may have to edit some scenes. The ASG said, “Fluid was not interested in making any cuts to make the appellant fit for U/A certification, and accepted the ‘A’ rating.”
He also argued that the production firm should contact the court immediately after the revised committee on August 4, 2025, expressing only his decision to issue a ‘A’ certificate, not after accepting the ‘A’ certificate in theaters and issuing the film in theaters across the country on August 14, 2025.
Published – August 28, 2025 11:25 am IST
