Producers Guild Hails CBFC For Allowing ‘Mersal’ a Contrarian View

Siddharth Roy Kapur says the makers of ‘Mersal’ should not bow down to any coercion or pressure.

The Vijay starrer Mersal sparked a nationwide debate.

(Photo courtesy: YouTube)

The Producers Guild of India lauded the censor board for enabling the makers of Mersal to express themselves.

The film, which hit theatres on 18 October, has faced stiff opposition from the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP, which has demanded removal of specific dialogues.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of the Producers Guild of India, said in a statement:

We applaud the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) for standing by the freedom of expression of the filmmakers of <i>Mersal</i>, and for permitting them to air contrarian opinions on current issues voiced by certain characters in their film.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of the Producers Guild of India

Also Read: ‘Mersal’ Producers Willing to Make Controversial ‘GST’ Scene Cuts

Several fans and politicians also came out in favour of the contentious scenes in ‘Mersal’. However, the producers of the film recently agreed to edit out the scenes in question.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi, MK Stalin Take Digs at PM Modi Over ‘Mersal’

“It is at such times, when we uphold the rights of our artistes to voice diverse opinions through their work, that we showcase the best of who we are as a country. We would now expect the relevant authorities to ensure that any coercion on the filmmakers from any quarters whatsoever to make changes to their film, is dealt with firmly, and to ensure that a film which has been duly certified is allowed to be screened without any disruption,” said Siddharth Roy Kapur.