Director VC Abhilash Criticizes Marco for Extreme Violence
Director VC Abhilash strongly criticized the Malayalam film Marco, starring Unni Mukundan, for its extreme portrayal of violence. He shared his thoughts in a detailed Facebook post, expressing his disappointment and concern about the film’s impact. Here’s a simplified version of his comments:
Abhilash’s Experience Watching Marco
VC Abhilash revealed that he watched Marco in the theater only until the interval. He decided to watch the second half after a friend told him, “There’s no violence like this one.” However, after seeing the film, he was deeply disturbed. He questioned the mental state of both the filmmakers and those who praised the movie.
Disturbing Scenes in the Film
Abhilash described Marco as a dark chapter in Indian cinema and a social crime. He mentioned scenes that were extremely violent, such as:
- A child’s head being smashed with a gas cylinder.
- A pregnant woman’s unborn baby being torn out of her womb.
According to him, such scenes only promote sadism, not art.
Abhilash’s Love for Crime-Thrillers
VC Abhilash clarified that he loves crime-thriller films and doesn’t believe cinema should only show pure or positive stories. However, he feels that films like Marco will lead to stricter censorship in the future. He fears that even natural crime scenes in movies will be questioned because of such extreme content.
Also read: Shocking! Aamir Khan Reveals Amitabh Bachchan and Javed Akhtar Predicted ‘Lagaan’ Would Flop.
Warning About the Impact of Such Films
Abhilash warned that the filmmakers might later regret their work and claim, “It was not meant to be like this.” But by then, the damage would already be done. He believes such films give people the wrong idea that cinema is responsible for all the evils in society.
Blindly Following Western Trends
VC Abhilash pointed out that while Western slasher films and brutal content are available, blindly following such trends is not what defines Indian art. He questioned, “If someone makes a film supporting pedophilia, can we call it art and allow it to be shown?” He urged the public and the film industry to reject such harmful content.
First Time Criticizing a Film
VC Abhilash ended his post by saying this was the first time he had spoken negatively about a film. He also revealed that the friend who recommended Marco had only seen the first half and not the extremely violent second half.
Satellite Streaming Issues
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) gave Marco an ‘A’ certificate for theaters but refused to change it to ‘UA’ for TV streaming. Nadeem Thufali, a CBFC official, confirmed this. The film is now available on SonyLIV since February 14, after its theatrical release on December 20 last year.
Nadeem advised parents to ensure children do not watch such violent movies. He also mentioned that the CBFC recommended banning the film on OTT platforms, but they have no control over OTT content.
More: ‘Manamey,’ a family binge, is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Producer’s Defense
The film’s producer, Shareef Mohammed, defended Marco, saying, “It’s not cinema that needs to change, but our perspective.” He added that Marco isn’t the first film to show violence but promised not to make films that promote violence in the future. In short, Marco has sparked a debate about violence in cinema, with some calling it a social crime and others defending it as a matter of perspective.