Censor Board refused to certify Tamil Film "Nellu": Projects 1968 "Kizhvenmani caste clash

The Regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to certify a Tamil Film "Nellu" to screen in public, alleging it was loosely based on the Kizhvenmani Masscare.

"Nellu" , the film on the struggle of farmers, was not given censor certification saying that it explicitly dealt with caste conflicts. Also, the climax portions were said to be portraying lower castes as humiliated and tortured people.

The film will now have to be certified after a review by a Revising Committee in Mumbai with more members, not exceeding 10.

Nellu, directed by M Sivashankar and produced by A M Kar thikeyan, deals with a sensitive theme connected to the Kizhvenmani Massacre in which 44 agricultural laborers were burnt to death by local landlords for seeking higher wages in Tamil Nadu.

The massacre took place on December 25, 1968, and shook the country at a time when it was poised to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth centenary, which fell on 1969.

A film on the same issue was made as part of the Gandhiji’s birth centenary films, titled the Ancient Curse.

The CBFC in 2009 permitted the release of Thambivudayaan, a film based on Cauvery water dispute, only after all mentions about the river were removed.

"The Film Nellu, on the struggle of farmers, was not given censor certification because it explicitly dealt with caste conflicts. Also, the climax was said to be portraying lower castes as humiliated and tortured people", one of the CBFC member who viewed the movie for certification told "Asian Tribune".

The Censor officials felt that this could rake up a long forgotten issue and cause problems in the society, as most of the deceased are Dalits.

The director of the film Nellu, M. Sivashankar, and producer AM. Karthikeyan are perturbed because the Censor Board wanted them to chop off a scene that is based on a real-life incident that took place decades ago.

The film has a scene in which scores of agricultural laborers, including women and children, are burnt alive for demanding a wage hike. This is based on the incident that happened in Kizhvenmani village in Thanjavur.

However, the producer and director, to stress on the importance of this scene, have decided to screen Nellu to Communist party men and Dalits and seek their opinion if it would cause unrest in the society in present times.

- Asian Tribune -