Director VC Abhilash has expressed his disapproval of Haneef Adeni's film Marco, which stars Unni Mukundan, particularly criticizing its depiction of violence. In a detailed post on Facebook, he conveyed that the latter part of the Malayalam film prompted him to reflect on the mental well-being of the film's creators. He articulated his thoughts as follows.

VC Abhilash on Marco

Abhilash commenced his commentary by noting that he had initially viewed only the first half of Marco in theaters and later completed it after a friend remarked, "there's no violence like this one." He expressed concern regarding the mental state of both the filmmakers and those who appreciated the film, stating, “I urge those who created this anti-social piece and those who endorsed it to reflect on their own mental health. 'What motivated you to watch this?' 'Was it successful in theaters?' Beyond these inquiries, as an audience member, I consider this film a dark episode in the annals of Indian cinema and a significant social transgression.”

He emphasized that he had never encountered such 'demonic/inhumane' scenes, even in Korean cinema, highlighting violent portrayals involving a child, a pregnant woman, and an unborn child. “Even if one argues that such content is commonplace in society, the sole outcome of Marco is sadism. Neither I, as an audience member, nor the filmmaker can contend that cinema should merely serve to reintroduce purity. Crime-thriller films are my passion and aspiration,” he remarked, adding, “However, due to films like Marco, the involvement of the censor board will likely increase. The natural evolution of film narratives, including crime scenes, will face scrutiny in the future.”

The filmmaker expressed that the film's team will soon participate in interviews to address their 'guilty conscience' and clarify that their intention was not to endorse violence. "By that time, this toxic creation misrepresented as art will have fueled the unfounded belief that cinema is responsible for all the ills in society! If, for instance, a film advocating pedophilia were to be released, would we then classify it as art and allow its exhibition?" Abhilash questioned. He concluded his statement by urging both society and the film community to 'reject this venomous entity.'

Satellite streaming issues

Regarding satellite streaming concerns, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted Marco an 'A' rating for theatrical release but denied the producers' request to change it to 'UA' for television streaming. T Nadeem Thufali, the regional officer of CBFI, confirmed this information to PTI. The film began streaming on SonyLIV on February 14, following its theatrical release on December 20 of the previous year.

"Parents must remain vigilant to prevent their children from viewing films that contain extreme violence," Nadeem stated, noting that the committee had formally recommended to the Centre that the film's streaming on OTT platforms be prohibited as well. "However, the CBFC lacks regulatory authority over OTT streaming," he added.

Shareef Mohammed, the producer of Marco, defended the film by asserting, "It is not cinema that needs to change, but rather our viewpoint." He also highlighted that Marco is not the first film to depict violence, but emphasized, "I will refrain from producing any film that seemingly promotes violence in the future."

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