Phule director Ananth Mahadevan clarifies CBFC suggested 'no cuts', says row over film is 'exaggerated, unnecessary'

Ananth Mahadevan said the reason behind the release of Phule being pushed is to clear the controversy surrounding the film.

Phule director Ananth Mahadevan has clarified that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) suggested some amendments and not cuts in the film. Speaking with news agency PTI, he said that the film's release has been delayed due to objections raised by the Brahmin community and not because of the amendments suggested by the censor board. (Also Read | Phule row: Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa's film postponed hours before release, CBFC asks team to make these changes)

Ananth Mahadevan speaks on Phule, CBFC

Ananth Mahadevan's next film, Phule, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, will release this month.

Speaking about the film, Ananth said, "They had suggested some amendments, I wouldn’t call it cuts. I want to clarify that there are no cuts as such. We did so. They felt that the film should be watched by youth and everyone and it’s very educative. I don’t know why this whole storm of conflict and counter arguments are happening, I think it's a little exaggerated and unnecessary."

Ananth talks about film's row

Ananth said that the “Brahmins got carried away by a two-minute trailer”, but there is nothing objectionable in the movie. He said the reason behind the release of Phule being pushed is to clear the controversy surrounding the film.

"They had put their views on social media and then other people also said, ‘Why are Brahmins protesting?' The protest started between two groups, we wanted to calm them down, and tell them that, ‘It has nothing what you people are imagining’. We did not want to lose out on the audience... I would rather they come together and see the film peacefully. So, the producer and the distributor got together and thought, ‘Let’s postpone it for two more weeks and clear all the controversies, talk to the media and let it reach them’,” he added.

About Phule, CBFC

The CBFC had issued ‘U’ certificate to the makers on April 7 and had asked them to make changes like removing terms such as 'Mang', 'Mahar' and 'Peshwai', the visual of 'man carrying a broom' was to be replaced with 'boys throwing cow dung balls at Savitribai', and the line ‘3000 saal purani gulami’ to be modified as ‘Kai saal purani’, among a few other things.

After the trailer was unveiled online on April 10, some members from the Brahmin community raised objections, stating that they’ve been portrayed in a poor light, as per PTI. Maharashtra-based organization Hindu Mahasangh's president, Anand Dave, expressed his displeasure after watching the trailer of Phule.