The theatrical release of Sivakarthikeyan's highly anticipated film, Parasakthi, this past Saturday was preceded by a high-pressure, last-minute battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The actor has now opened up about the intense process, revealing that the team had a mere 10 hours to implement a staggering 25 cuts mandated by the board, leaving no room for dialogue or clarification.
A Race Against the Clock
In a candid conversation with India Today, Sivakarthikeyan detailed the frantic scramble that ensued after receiving the CBFC's list of modifications. The primary objective was clear: meet the scheduled release date at any cost. "Our team’s complete focus was on how we could implement the changes they suggested in a way that wouldn’t affect the creativity of the film," he stated. The lack of time meant the team could not question the rationale behind the suggested edits. "We didn’t have time to figure out why they suggested these changes," Sivakarthikeyan admitted, emphasizing that the CBFC operates by its own set of regulations.
The actor explained that the process was purely executional. After receiving the changes, the immediate task was to edit and upload the revised version to the digital distribution platform, QUBE. "We were chasing a release date," he said, highlighting the singular focus on ensuring the film's core narrative remained intact despite the extensive alterations.
Military Precision Under Pressure
Describing the atmosphere, Sivakarthikeyan painted a picture of a "military camp" where the entire crew was on standby for 24 hours. The technical challenge was significant. "The more advanced technology has become, the more difficult it has become in certain ways," he noted, referring to the complexity of seamlessly integrating cuts in a modern digital workflow.
Thankfully, according to the actor, the cuts were not entirely random, allowing the technical team to match them effectively. "The team was able to match them somehow, ensuring they didn’t spoil the experience and deliver the final cut within the 10 hours we had," Sivakarthikeyan revealed, calling the ordeal exhausting but ultimately successful.
Contrasting Views and Industry Backdrop
When probed about whether such interventions impact creative freedom, Sivakarthikeyan maintained a diplomatic stance, attributing the lack of context-sharing to the time constraint. "If we had more time, we might have explained to them the context of certain dialogues that they asked us to mute," he reflected.
This experience stands in stark contrast to the perspective shared by Parasakthi's director, Sudha Kongara. In earlier comments to Galatta Plus, she praised the CBFC's revising committee as "democratic" and "fair," stating they allowed the film to "live and breathe."
The controversy around Parasakthi's certification emerges alongside another major film's troubles. The release of Thalapathy Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan' has been postponed, reportedly due to censor certificate issues. This has sparked criticism from prominent filmmakers like Ram Gopal Varma and Karthik Subbaraj, who have taken to social media to condemn what they see as an irregular certification process by the CBFC, fueling a broader debate about censorship pressures on Indian cinema ahead of key release dates.
