Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has called on media organisations to refrain from using the term "censor" while referring to film certification in India, stressing that the word has become outdated after it was legally challenged.
Taking to his X handle on Saturday, the Thug Life actor pointed out that after years of debate and legal deliberation, the term "censor" was officially replaced with "certification," leading to the establishment of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). "After the film industry fought and persuaded the central government to remove it, the word should no longer be used," he said, underlining the importance of artistic freedom in a democratic country.
"No government should have the right to censor art," Kamal Haasan remarked, noting that it is a principle accepted by industries across languages, including Tamil cinema.
The actor's recent statement seems to have come after a barrage of news reports on recent films in India not granting a film certification, owing to political and legal issues, particularly Vijay's Jana Nayagan. Initially scheduled for release on January 9, the film underwent several delays.
It was initially postponed after the producers claimed that a CBFC committee had evaluated the film in December 2025 and had made recommendations for excisions, which the production house confirmed to have carried out. Later a member of the original evaluating committee filed a complaint, stating that the film violated the sentiment of certain religions and did not consult with the armed forces before using their logos in the film. The chairman of the CBFC then moved to send the film to a revising committee. A few days earlier, the CBFC recommended that the Election Commission of India (ECI) make an assessment of the film before providing with a certification.
In recent times, the CBFC has been facing major backlash for their "selective outrage" and censorship on certain films due to their "vested interests". They have been called out for pandering to the ruling government while providing green signal to films with violence and gore-related content.
Kamal Haasan himself is no stranger to these issues as his 2013 action spy film Vishwaroopam was embroiled in major hurdles and controversies, leading to the film being banned for 15 days in the state and major overseas markets, due to allegations made by Islamic organisations.
