The film Siva Manasula Pusha, whose title features the names of two politicians who were recently in the midst of a controversy, has run into trouble with the regional censor board.
The board apparently asked director-producer Vaarahi to drop some political and glamorous scenes, which he refused to do. And when he filed an appeal in Delhi, he was in for an even bigger shock. Not only did the board object to the title of his film, it also asked him to change the names of his lead characters Siva and Pushpa.
SMP is a fictional political film inspired by real-life incidents, and the lead roles are played by Vaarahi and Shivani. Defending his creation, Vaarahi says, “Have names like Siva and Pushpa been banned? Or has anyone objected to the title? In that case, how did they clear the title Siva Manasula Sakthi? When they can allow films like Iruttu Arayil Murattu Kutthu, which has deeper connotations, to be released, why would they object to a simple title like Siva Manasula Pushpa?”
He adds that there are no rules or regulations that allow the censor board to ask a producer to change the title of his film. “Now, I have sent my film to the revising committee. If the problem persists, I will seek legal help,” he says.
