5 days ago
K Annamalai Demands Stricter CBFC Rules Amid Toxic Debate
K Annamalai said India’s film-certification rules should be stricter.
He was concerned about movies showing extreme violence and women in insulting ways.
His comments came during a debate about the film Toxic.
Toxic stars Yash and was directed by Geetu Mohandas.
The movie was released in theatres on August 26.
Annamalai said age rules should be followed more carefully.
He also said theatres should stop people from watching films meant for different age groups.
He said he wanted better censorship, not a complete ban on films.
K Annamalai criticized the CBFC over extreme violence and objectification of women in Indian films.
His remarks came amid controversy surrounding Yash’s film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
Annamalai called for stricter age-based certification and enforcement by theatres.
He said films should be properly censored, but clarified that he was not calling for bans.
Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, received mixed to negative reviews and sparked debate over masculinity, sex and violence.
- Who
- K Annamalai, the Central Board of Film Certification, theatres, and the makers and cast of Toxic.
- What
- Annamalai demanded stricter film-certification rules and criticized depictions of extreme violence and the objectification of women.
- Where
- The comments were reported from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, amid discussion of Indian cinema and theatrical screenings.
- When
- Annamalai’s comments were reported on August 27, 2026; Toxic was released on August 26, 2026.
- Why
- Annamalai said age-based certificates and restrictions were not being enforced properly and that some film scenes were unacceptable.
Key facts
- Main critic
- K Annamalai, former BJP Tamil Nadu president and chief of the We The Leaders Foundation
- Certification body
- Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
- Film
- Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups
- Director
- Geetu Mohandas
- Release date
- August 26, 2026
- Cast mentioned
- Yash, Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth
- Critical response
- Toxic received mixed to negative reviews, including a two-star review from The Free Press Journal
Quotes
K. Annamalai
Former BJP Tamil Nadu president and We the Leaders Foundation chief servant
“I’m not saying films should be banned, but they should be properly censored. Also, theatres should strictly enforce who can and can’t watch such movies. Even after many films get age-specific certificates, theatres don’t enforce them; they let everyone in. Only theatres in malls impose the rules properly.”
freepressjournal.in
“The censor board should be even stricter. When we go to the US or European countries, look at how strict their censor boards are. In India, however, many scenes we see are unacceptable — scenes that have no regard for age groups like 16, 18, or 14. So, some films should be completely censored.”
freepressjournal.in
The Free Press Journal reviewer
Reviewer for The Free Press Journal
“Overall, Toxic had the potential to be a better film, but the weak screenplay and direction, no emotional connection, and the length of the movie make this Yash starrer an unbearable watch. So, you can skip it!”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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