The Indian government has launched an "immediate inquiry" into Tamil actor Vishal's claims that he had to pay Rs 6.5 lakh to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certifying the Hindi version of his Tamil film, "Mark Antony."
Vishal's allegations of bribery against the CBFC's Mumbai office were made on social media the same day the Hindi version of the film was released in theaters. His post included details of payments to alleged middlemen who sought bribes for the certification.
Vishal also called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to investigate.
In response, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that they have "zero tolerance for corruption" and dispatched a senior officer to conduct an inquiry in Mumbai.
CBFC, led by chairman Prasoon Joshi and CEO Ravinder Bhakar, issued a statement noting their commitment to taking strict action against those involved and warning against attempts to tarnish the organization's image. The Indian Film and Television Directors' Association has called for a CBI inquiry.
Vishal revealed, "We were left with no other option. We were asked to pay Rs 3 lakh first, just for the screening. The remaining Rs 3.5 lakh was for the certificate."
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