Rajesh Touchriver’s award winning movie Raktham goes to Tribunal

Raktham an internationally acclaimed Indian film in the Telugu language which won four international awards and multiple nominations in prestigious film festivals around the globe was denied ‘U’ certificate on flimsy grounds. The super clean film with no violence or sex is based on human rights issues with the backdrop of social revolutionaries. The film basically questions whether bloodshed is required for social transformation.

The Regional Censor Board of Hyderabad in a letter to the producer/director Rajesh Touchriver who is national award-winning director has not denied ‘U’ certificate but also demanded unreasonable cuts that will damage the entire essence of the film. Touchriver expressing his deep regrets stated ‘it is as if they were desperate to find some faults’ where there was none.

The guidelines (https://www.cbfcindia.gov.in/main/guidelines.html) quoted is 2(xii) which is related to sexual perversion whereas the scene has no such element. In fact, the said scene is a serious conversation between two social revolutionaries. The film stars Benerjee, Madhushalini, Sanju Sivram, Sana, John Kottoly etc.