Basil Joseph's 'Maranamass' Banned In Saudi Arabia Over Transgender Casting
The Malayalam film “Maranamass,” which is slated to release on April 10, has been banned in Saudi Arabia due to the inclusion of a transgender character in the cast.
The film’s director, Shivaprasad, revealed this in an interview with a media outlet. Despite receiving a U/A certificate in India, the film has faced censorship issues in Gulf countries, where the censor board demanded that the transgender character’s scenes be edited before the release.
In Kuwait, the censor board urged to cut the scenes featuring a transgender character, while in Saudi Arabia, the film has been completely banned.
The film’s producers, including Tovino Thomas and Raphael Pozholiparambil, have faced challenges in getting the film released in certain countries.
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The film is set to release tomorrow, which promises to be an entertaining ride, with Basil Joseph’s trademark comedy elements, as hinted by the trailer. The film’s unique aspect is the different getup of Basil Joseph, which has generated buzz among audiences.
Maranamass is an upcoming Malayalam movie, written and directed by Sivaprasad in his directorial debut.
The film stars Basil Joseph in the lead role and is co-produced by actor Tovino Thomas. It is set to release on Vishu, April 10, 2025, alongside other films like Bazooka and Alappuzha Gymkhana.
The story is about a serial killer, similar to the famous Ripper Chandran, who is causing fear in the city. Unexpectedly, the killer, a girl, her lover, and others end up on a night bus, leading to a series of dramatic events and an unexpected climax.
The cast includes Basil Jospeh, Rajesh Madhavan, Siju Sunny, Babu Antony, Suresh Krishna, Anishma Anilkumar, and so on.
The film was announced on April 9, 2024. The first look poster was released on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025, with Basil Joseph appearing in a cool, funky hairstyle.
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The film’s dialogues were written by Siju Sunny, alongside director Sivaprasad. Neeraj Revi is the cinematographer, and Jay Unnithan is in charge of the music.
In an interview, screenwriter Siju Sunny shared that it felt “exhilarating” to see the characters he created come to life on screen, calling it a “priceless feeling.”
