“Censors allowed the four-letter word f**k, but wanted to remove the word kuruttu Kizhavi (blind old lady) and ordered 52 cuts including some in the promo poster for our film about increased drug peddling in the city,” says debut director MT Anand about his upcoming film Marijuana.
“When I have to say something is bad, I need to project the negativity in it,” Anand points out. “The film is against drug abuse and how youth are turning into criminals after getting addicted to drugs. And it talks about how parents and society are also responsible for the situation. I have made this film based on my real-life experiences and extensive research,” he added.
According to the director, the “censors were ready to give a U/A certification if I adhered to those cuts. They even asked me to remove the images of a trishul and sacred ash that were part of the title Marijuana from the poster. Despite my submission that the scenes would lose continuity if I deleted so many shots, they did not budge. I preferred to take an ‘A’ Certificate instead of butchering my product”, he concluded.
The movie has Rishi Rithvik of Attu fame and city model Asha Parthalom in the lead. They play cops investigating a series of murders. Bala Rosaiah, a former assistant of Natraj, is cranking the camera. Karthick Guru, who studied at ARR’s music school, is the composer. Yogi Babu released its first look recently.
