‘Coolie’ producers willingly accepted ‘A’ certificate for movie: CBFC to Madras HC

Chennai: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that Sun TV Network Limited had willingly accepted an ‘A’ certificate for Rajinikanth’s latest film Coolie, after refusing to carry out the additional cuts required for a U/A certification. 

The move effectively barred viewers below 18 years from watching the film in theatres. Appearing before Justice T.V. Thamilselvi, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) A.R.L. Sundaresan said the production firm had been clearly informed that further edits were necessary to secure a U/A certificate. 

“They made an endorsement saying they did not want any cuts and opted for the ‘A’ certificate. Having accepted it, they cannot now take a contrary stand,” he told the court. 

The submissions were made during the hearing of a civil miscellaneous appeal filed by the production house seeking to quash the CBFC’s August 4 proceedings and direct the issuance of a U/A certificate. 

The ASG argued that there was no urgency to the plea since the film had already been released on August 14. He pointed out that the appeal had been filed only on Tuesday, a week after release, and said there was no extraordinary circumstance such as an imminent eviction or demolition, warranting a priority hearing. 

He requested time until August 25 for the CBFC to file a counter-affidavit. Outlining the timeline, Sundaresan said the producers had applied for certification on July 28 and were issued an ‘A’ certificate on August 4. 

Ten days later, they went ahead with the release and only after a week approached the High Court seeking U/A classification. 

“They cannot demand an urgent hearing after such a delay,” he submitted. 

After considering the arguments, Justice Thamilselvi said she would grant sufficient time for the CBFC to file its counter affidavit, noting that nearly a week had already passed since the film’s release.

In its appeal, the production company said Coolie had been made to mark superstar Rajinikanth’s 50 years in cinema. 

The film, featuring a pan-India cast including Nagarjuna Akkineni and Aamir Khan, had emerged as a “mega blockbuster,” it claimed. 

However, it argued that Rajinikanth’s massive fan base, which spans all age groups, was being unfairly restricted from viewing the film because of the ‘A’ certification.