Box Office Buzz: After violent run, Unni Mukundan's Marco banned from TV; Will OTT face same fate?

CBFC bans Unni Mukundan’s Marco from TV citing extreme violence, urges Centre to block OTT release too. Will this trigger stricter censorship for future action films?

Written by Shanaz Syed , Journalist

Published on Mar 05, 2025 | 06:14 PM IST | 13.9K

Credit: Unni Mukundan Instagram

In a shocking twist of sorts, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)'s regional office has written to the Central Government, requesting intervention to block the recent Malayalam blockbuster, Unni Mukundan's Marco, from streaming on digital platforms. Before that, the CBFC has officially banned Unni Mukundan’s blockbuster action thriller Marco from being screened on television as well. This unexpected development has now sparked intense debate within the Malayalam film industry and beyond, regarding censorship.

Directed by Haneef Adeni, Marco's story revolves around the Adattu family, one of Kerala’s most renowned gold-trading dynasties. When a shocking incident disrupts their peaceful lives, family head George sets out to uncover the truth. His younger brother Marco, played by Unni Mukundan, takes a path filled with brutal violence, gore and bloodshed to find the answers. The film’s intense action sequences and dark themes caught attention, leading to a theatrical run that grossed an impressive ₹104 crore from the worldwide box office.

Despite its box office success, Marco’s extreme violence triggered concerns. The CBFC, after multiple reviews, denied satellite rights for television screening. Now, the board has escalated the matter, urging the central government to also prevent its streaming on OTT platforms. This move comes in the wake of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s recent statement in the assembly about the growing influence of violent content on society.

Interestingly, Marco arrived just after Unni Mukundan’s previous release, Get Set Baby!, failed to create any magic at the box office. A heartfelt family drama about an IVF specialist balancing career and personal life, the film couldn’t find its audience. In stark contrast, Marco’s violent tone worked commercially but invited serious regulatory scrutiny.

Reacting to the ban, producer Shareef Muhammed acknowledged that Marco was deliberately marketed as a violent film, but firmly maintained that all rules were followed. “We clearly promoted it as an adult film and followed every guideline. Our posters and campaigns all carried the ‘A’ certification clearly,” he stated. However, Shareef also admitted that the backlash has made him reconsider producing such films in the future.

With the TV ban in place and OTT release hanging in balance, Marco’s future remains uncertain though made big from theatres already. While the CBFC insists parents must exercise discretion, the larger question lingers — is this the beginning of tighter censorship for violent films being made in India at the moment? All eyes are now on the Central Government's response.