The Madras High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to a petition filed by Sun Pictures, the producers of Rajinikanth’s latest film Coolie, challenging the ‘A’ (adults only) certificate granted to the movie [Sun TV Network Vs Central Board of Film Certification].
Justice TV Thamilselvi issued notice to CBFC after hearing submissions from both sides and posted the matter for final arguments on Monday, August 25.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan appeared for the CBFC and opposed urgent hearing of the case. He contended that since Coolie has already released a week ago, the outcome of the litigation would not affect its ongoing box office run.
The ASG argued that the film was certified on August 4 but the challenge to its certification was mounted only on August 18.
He also contended that the CBFC offered to give a 'U/A' (unrestricted with parental guidance) certification if the makers agreed to cut certain sequences; however, the makers gave an endorsement which said that they were not ready to cut any scenes from the film.
The counsel for Sun Pictures strongly opposed this argument. It was contended that the ‘A’ certificate was dissuading families from watching the film thereby, directly impacting ticket sales and audience reach. The producers maintained that the certificate was arbitrary and inconsistent, particularly when other action-heavy films such as the KGF franchise were given a U/A rating despite showcasing greater levels of violence.
On hearing the parties, Justice Thamilselvi admitted the plea and directed CBFC to file its response. The case will be taken up for final hearing on August 25.
The case assumes importance since this is the first Rajinikanth film in over three decades to receive an ‘A’ certificate, the last instance being Siva (1989). The producers have argued that such a rating restricts family audiences, a vital segment for a mass entertainer.
Despite the certification row, Coolie has enjoyed massive commercial success, grossing an estimated ₹400 crore worldwide in its first week.
Sun Network was represented by Advocates M Sneha, Vimal Mohan and Dinesh.