Movies have always been a subject of intense study because of their power to shape the opinions and watching habits of specific groups of people. The majority of nations allow the screening of films from all over the world following rigorous censorship and content analysis.
Recently, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other GCC nations had to deal with a similar ban on the Mahmootty and Jyothika film Kaathal-The Core. It was mentioned that the movie’s material violates their laws and includes LGBTQI+ aspects.
Let’s examine which of these films have to be released everywhere, with a few exceptions.
1. Monster (2022)
All GCC nations with the exception of the UAE banned the Vysakh-directed and Udayakrishna-written action thriller movie Monster, starring Mohanlal. The movie was outlawed due to its homosexual content, which prevented it from being viewed in certain nations. Lakshmi Manchu, Honey Rose, Sudev Nair, Siddique, K. B. Ganesh Kumar, Lena, Johny Antony, and Jagapathi Babu made cameo appearances in the ensemble cast of the movie. Critics had given the picture, which debuted on October 21, 2022, varying reviews.
2. Beast (2022)
Vijay Thalapathy’s starrer Nelson Dilipkumar wrote and directed the Tamil film Beast, which debuted on April 13, 2022. The main character of the movie was an ex-RAW agent who was trying to free hostages who terrorists had taken hostage in a mall. However, because it portrayed Muslims as fanatics, the movie was outlawed in Kuwait and Qatar. Key characters in the movie were played by Pooja Hegde, Yogi Babu, Shaji Chen, Selvaraghavan, VTV Ganesh, and many others. Critics had varying opinions on the movie, which was a box office hit when it first came out.
3. Kurup (2021)
Kurup, a Malayalam film starring Dulquer Salmaan, was a biographical crime thriller film based on the life of wanted criminal Sukumara Kurup. Kuwait banned the Srinath Rajendran-directed and Dulquer Salmaan-produced movie because it depicted a fugitive who fled to Kuwait and sought safety there.
The ensemble cast of the movie, which starred Dulquer in the lead role, included Indrajith Sukumaran, Shine Tom Chacko, Sunny Wayne, Sobhita Dhulipala, Vino Thomas, Anupama Parameshwaran, and numerous others. In 2021, the movie was a big financial hit in Malayalam theaters.
In addition, Gulf nations banned Dulquer’s previous film Sita Ramam, which starred Mrunal Thakur opposite him and offended their religious sensibilities.
4. FIR (2022)
FIR: Faizal Ibrahim Raiz, a Tamil criminal thriller starring Vishnu Vishal, was co-produced by Vishal and written and directed by Manu Anand, who was making his directorial debut. The movie, which starred Gautham Vasudev Menon, Manjima Mohan, Reba Monica John, and numerous others in the major parts, was prohibited in Kuwait, Malaysia, and Qatar after their censor boards rejected it.
5. Vishwaroopam/Vishwaroop (2013)
The film Vishwaroopam/Vishwaroop, which featured Kamal Haasan in the title character, was also written and directed by him. The spy action thriller, which was simultaneously produced in Tamil and Hindi, encountered numerous challenges. These ranged from national issues brought about by the movie’s title and portrayal of Islam to international restrictions in places like the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. Due to its association with terrorism, the movie was banned in the United Arab Emirates. Following complaints from Muslim organizations, it was also prohibited in Malaysia.
