The dark comedy thriller Marana Mass, starring Basil Joseph, has hit a roadblock ahead of its theatrical release. The film has reportedly been banned in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait due to the inclusion of a transgender person in its cast. Director Sivaprasad shared the update, saying, "Currently, 'Marana Mass' cannot be released in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The information received from the Saudi censor board is that the film cannot be released there because of a transgender person in the cast. We also have received a directive from Kuwait asking us to remove the transgender scenes in the film. They say that if their parts are removed, it can be released. But the film cannot be released in Saudi Arabia."
The film has secured a U/A certificate from the Indian censor board and is set to hit cinemas on April 10, 2025. The trailer hints at a quirky mix of dark comedy and thriller elements, with Basil Joseph in the lead. Marana Mass marks the directorial debut of Sivaprasad, who also co-wrote the script with 'Romancham'-fame actor Siju Sunny. The story is based on an idea by Siju himself.
Also featuring a talented cast that includes Siju Sunny, Anishma, Rajesh Madhavan, Suresh Krishna, and Babu Antony, Marana Mass has generated significant buzz. On the technical front, the visuals are handled by Neeraj Revi, with editing by Chaman Chakko and music by Jay Unnithan, known for Thrishanku. Produced by Tovino Thomas, Tingston Thomas, Thanseer Salam, and Raphael Pozholiparampil, the film comes from Tovino Thomas Productions in association with Worldwide Films.
In an unfortunate turn of events, debutant director Sivaprasad’s much-anticipated dark comedy thriller Marana Mass, featuring Basil Joseph in the lead role and co-produced by renowned actor Tovino Thomas, has been reportedly banned in Saudi Arabia due to the presence of a queer actor in the film’s cast. Meanwhile, the film has also faced a setback in Kuwait, where the authorities have demanded that scenes featuring the actor be edited out before the movie can receive approval for release.
Commenting on the backlash, director Sivaprasad stated that the actor’s gender was not a topic of concern for them even during casting. "We did not look at the gender of the actors before casting them. On the other hand, we also wanted to normalize LGBTQIA+ in society," he told The News Minute. Previously, movies such as Kaathal – The Core, Little Hearts, Monster, and Oru Jaathi Jaathakam had also faced bans in countries under the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) owing to their content.
However, according to a statement issued by the makers, it appears that the movie’s team has complied with Kuwait authorities’ instructions and removed scenes featuring the said actor for the film’s release there. "To those watching Marana Mass in Kuwait, a few scenes from the first and second halves of the film had to be removed due to censorship laws. We hope this won’t detract from your overall enjoyment of the movie. Kindly watch it in cinemas," they noted.
Starring Rajesh Madhavan, Siju Sunny, Babu Antony, Anishma Anilkumar, and Suresh Krishna in key roles, Marana Mass features cinematography by Neeraj Revi, editing by Chaman Chacko, and music by JK. The film is set to hit screens on April 10, in direct competition with Deeno Dennis’ Mammootty-starrer Bazooka, Khalid Rahman’s Naslen-led Alappuzha Gymkhana, and Adhik Ravichandran’s Ajith Kumar-starrer Good Bad Ugly.
Despite the censorship hurdles, anticipation remains high for the film’s domestic and international release. Basil Joseph is currently in the peak time of his career as the majority of his recent releases turned out to be superhits. His previous outing was the intense drama movie Ponman, which was a hit and also received good reviews from the audiences.
The film's team released a quirky first look poster on February 13 featuring Basil with dirty blonde hair and dressed in incredibly bright clothes. His bright red T-shirt boldly declares him to be a 'Sigma Male'. The first look poster was released with the fun caption, "Do you skibidiz know who he really is?? #Maranamass #FirstLook". The switch-on pooja and launch event of the film was held in August 2024 in Kochi featuring the cast and crew. Speaking to the media during the launch event, Basil Joseph commented cheekily that even though the title of the film was Maranamass, since it was he who would be acting in it, the audience could expect a complete comedy entertainer, which was his staple fare. The filming was wrapped up in November 2024.
As the release date approaches, both fans and critics will be watching closely to see how Marana Mass navigates the complexities of censorship while attempting to deliver its unique blend of humor and suspense.
