High Court stuns Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Vyooham’

On Monday, the Telangana High Court suspended the censor certificate granted to filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma’s political thriller, ‘Vyuham,’ and instructed the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to reevaluate the film.

The High Court directed the review committee to submit their report within three weeks, supporting the petition filed by TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh. Earlier, on December 30, the high court had temporarily halted the film’s release for three weeks, citing the revising committee’s failure to provide reasons for the certificate of exhibition, especially when the initial application had been rejected.

In November, Lokesh had written a letter to the CBFC, urging them not to certify the film due to alleged dialogues that denigrate opposition leaders Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, portraying them in a negative light. However, despite Lokesh’s objections, the Censor Board had granted permission for the film’s release based on the review committee’s report.

The movie unfolds against the backdrop of Andhra Pradesh politics, featuring key political figures resembling Chandrababu Naidu, AP Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, YS Bharati, Vijayamma, and Rosaiah.

Ram Gopal Varma’s YCP propaganda film ‘Vyooham,’ aimed at defaming political figures like Chandra Babu, Lokesh, and Pawan Kalyan, has faced legal repercussions following a complaint from Nara Lokesh at the Telangana High Court. Lokesh contended that the film intended to aid Jagan’s election campaign while portraying YCP’s political opponents in a negative light.

In a significant development, the High Court revoked the existing censor certificate of ‘Vyooham’ and directed the censor board to reevaluate the film, submitting a report within the next three weeks for further assessment. This decision effectively impedes the film’s immediate release. The court dismissed arguments from the filmmakers about financial losses due to delays and emphasized the need for a fresh evaluation. Nara Lokesh’s proactive stance against this propaganda film has proven effective, preventing filmmaker RGV from ridiculing TDP-JSP leaders before the polls, akin to the situation in 2019.