A film the public will never see: Why Delhi High Court upheld ban on ‘Masoom Kaatil’

Some films never make it to the silver screen, not because they lacked budget or actors, but because their very essence rattled the foundation of what society can accept. One such case is Masoom Kaatil, a Hindi film that has been blocked by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and now declared unfit for public viewing by the Delhi High Court.

The film’s producer had challenged the CBFC’s 2022 refusal to certify the film, but the court upheld the decision. Both authorities found the movie excessively violent, communal in tone, and guilty of glorifying vigilantism, noting that its portrayal was gruesome, needlessly brutal, and devoid of any redeeming value.

According to the authorities, the film’s storyline attempts to criminalize meat selling and consumption, while depicting two teenagers who embark on a mission to annihilate members of the butcher community. The narrative shows brutal violence, including scenes where individuals are forced to eat human excreta and flesh—amounting to portrayals of cannibalism.

The storyline

The plot follows Anirudh, a compassionate boy raised in a deeply religious vegetarian family that has never consumed meat or eggs, who grows disturbed by animal slaughter.

The death of Anirudh’s beloved grandfather and his subsequent exposure to the ‘Garuda Purana’ profoundly impact him, making him believe that slaughtered animals could be reincarnations of his loved ones.

By the time he reaches Class 12, Anirudh using his science knowledge secretly develops a chemical capable of sedating or killing. He covertly uses it to eliminate numerous butchers, targeting those responsible for animal slaughter.

Anirudh then meets Vedika, a like-minded classmate whose hatred for butchers surpasses his own.

Together, they plan and execute killings in increasingly calculated ways, with Vedika devising methods to dispose of the bodies so that they cannot be traced. The narrative ultimately portrays Vedika as the central force, driven by a mission to eradicate butchers and poultry farm owners across the country.

No certification

The filmmaker had applied to the CBFC for certification of the subject matter film in August 2022. After Examining Committee at Delhi had refused to certify the film, it was sent to Revising Committee at Mumbai.

The filmmaker had requested for cuts in the film and give a certificate under ‘A’ category instead of ‘U/A’ category, but the CBFC refused to certify the film altogether.

The CBFC stated that the story line of the film is “so raw” that it tries to criminalise meat selling and consuming, not just that, in the film the protagonists embark on a mission to annihilate all those persons who are part of the meat-selling or meat-eating community. It stated that the vigilante kind of violence is unleashed on butcher community and brutalization of those people have been shown in great detail.

It stated that in the film individuals have been shown forced to eat human excreta, not only excreta but the flesh of fellow humans. It said, “human cannibalism has been shown in the film and such kind of film have never been certified”.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said viewing of the film’s trailer, which is available on Youtube, itself “was difficult for this Court as it contains gore violence”.

While rejecting any relief to the filmmaker, Justice Arora remarked, “If a film makes it seem that taking the law into your own hands is something to be admired and celebrated, it can damage people’s trust in the legal system and suggest that using violence instead of following the law is acceptable”.

“When such dangerous ideas are combined with graphic scenes of killing and cannibalism, the subject matter film could seriously upset public peace and encourage others to act violently, putting the safety of society at risk,” the judge remarked in the September 10 judgment.