Basil Joseph's Maranamass Banned In Saudi Arabia And Kuwait, Director Reacts To Casting Choice That Led To Controversy

Maranamass: Headlined by Basil Joseph and directed by debutante Sivaprasad, the Malayalam crime thriller has been banned from release in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. While it hit the big screens in India on April 10, its overseas release in the two mentioned countries has been barred.

One of the characters in the movie is played by a transgender person, which has led to the ban of the movie. There has been a call for the ban on transgender scenes in Maranamass for its release in Kuwait. But Saudi Arabia censor board has barred it from releasing in the country altogether.

Also read: Maranamass X Review: Basil Joseph's Dark Comedy Better Than Mammootty’s Bazooka? Netizens Compare New Malalyalam Releases

Informing viewers about the same, director Sivaprasad said, “Currently, Marana Mass cannot be released in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The information received from the Saudi censor board is that the film cannot be released there because of a transgender person in the cast. We also have received a directive from Kuwait asking us to remove the transgender scenes in the film. They say that if their parts are removed, it can be released. But the film cannot be released in Saudi Arabia.”

Also read: Black Mirror 7 X Review: After Adolescence, Netflix Viewers Find OG 'Dark, Depressing' Series 'Underwhelming'

"We did not look at the gender of the actors before casting them. On the other hand, we also wanted to normalise LGBTQIA+ in the society," he told The News Minute.

Maranamass has received a U/A rating from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India and is part of Mollywood's Vishu release slate of April 10. The film revolves around a serial killer terrorising the city. The story unfolds as the killer follows his next target. Earlier this year, director Vineeth Sreenivasan's Oru Jaathi Jaathakam was also banned in most of the Gulf countries for its LGBTQIA+ references.