Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court suspended the censor certificate for director Ram Gopal Varma’s film Vyooham on Friday, December 29.
The movie, initially scheduled for release on November 10, is marred by legal complications. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for January 11, 2024, following the passing of the interim order.
The film Vyooham, a biographical picture of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has stirred a controversy, prompting the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to file a plea alleging that the producers were working “at the behest of its political rivals.”
According to a Times of India report, TDP’s plea stated, “They (filmmakers) openly defamed us and directly named our leader and party in the movie.” For this, they have even mentioned sub-judice cases. The filmmaker’s counsel contended that since the film had already been censored, its release could not be postponed and that artistic expression could not be restricted.
Additionally, Ram Gopal Varma informed the court that although Vyooham is based on true events, artistic license was obtained. This was stated in the film’s opening credits. The former chief minister NT Rama Rao’s name and the phrase “mugguru ammayilatho” (three girls) were also instructed to be removed from the movie.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court that, although initially refusing to grant permission for the film’s release, it later granted it following specific modifications. According to TOI, the CBFC further argued that it had complied with all Cinematograph Act regulations and that postponing the film’s release would be a breach of the Act’s fundamentals.
