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Pahlaj Nihalani pulls Unni Mukundan's Marco over disturbing violence, questions CBFC's approval

Marco surprised at the box office, reaching Rs. 1 crore despite a slow start. Unni Mukundan's performance was praised, but disturbing scenes led to its removal from Nishat Cinema.

Pahlaj Nihalani pulls Unni Mukundan's Marco over disturbing violence, questions CBFC's approval
Unni Mukundan in Marco

Last Updated: 05.15 PM, Jan 31, 2025

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A pleasant surprise in the theatres is the Malayalam film Marco. Considering it only made Rs. 1 lakh on its opening day, its performance was excellent, even though the Hindi version's sales plummeted after a while. Its collection reached an incredible Rs. 1 crore on January 1—an incredible achievement given its humble beginnings—and continued to rise steadily thereafter. Positive word of mouth for the product made this a reality.

Positive audience reception for Unni Mukundan’s performance

Viewers highly praised the lead, Unni Mukundan's performance, the film's mass and sophisticated handling, and the action. However, a lot of people have said that the film, particularly in its buildup to the finale, has too many unsettling moments. Actually, the film's graphics were the reason a theatre withdrew it from the screen. Pahlaj Nihalani, a producer and former head of the Central Board of Film Certification, runs the Nishat Cinema on Grant Road in Mumbai.

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Bollywood Hungama asked Nihalani and enquired as to the rationale behind the situation. To which he replied that the graphic depictions of child murder in Marco made them uncomfortable. People don't like to view these films and showing such a film serves no purpose.

Pahlaj Nihalani’s comments on the film’s content

In response to the question of whether he had seen Marco, Nihalani stated, "No." However, he became aware of it when the moviegoers began yelling their approval. People from many walks of life go to this theatre. Even though they usually watch action flicks, they couldn't make it through Marco. They started nitpicking and eventually left the theatre.

He went on to say that the business is in a state of Animal syndrome due to the 2023 blockbuster with Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and Triptii Dimri. Animal, however, was successful not only because of violence but also because of the star cast," Pahlaj remarked. Fans especially adored the scenes where the hero and heroine kissed. After Animal, Bhushan Kumar offered the female actor several more films due to her success. He also added that it worked big time even though some people didn't like it.

CBFC’s confusion over Marco and regional discrepancies

Returning to Marco, Nihalani shared the CBFC's perplexion over the film's clearance. He said that the South film industry approves of anything. A U/A grade was occasionally given to violent films as well. Members from Mumbai have a distinct temperament than those from the South of CBFC. There are a lot of politically connected members here. The members there are devoted admirers of specific performers. From the very beginning, they have a liberal mentality.

The current scenario at CBFC, which is being led by Prasoon Joshi, was another point of contention for him. Nihalani said that the CBFC guidelines are not being followed. He used the rules for horror or supernatural films, which require an 'A' rating, as an example. He asked if Shaitaan had received an 'A' certificate.

Pahlaj Nihalani critiques CBFC guidelines and leadership

Nihalani also said that this board is strange. Padmaavat (2018) was clean entertainment, yet they still wouldn't let it pass. Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013) was the modified title of Ram-Leela before he became chairperson and asked what the purpose of that was.

On February 14, 2025, Marco will make its OTT debut on SonyLIV (OTTplay Premium). 

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