A Malayalam film about atheism and unscrupulous religious figures that was cleared by the Censor Board has been blocked by YouTube. In a notice to the Kerala Freethinkers Forum, which uploaded the video of Prabhuvinte Makkal meaning God‘s children, YouTube said that its viewers have flagged the feature film as inappropriate. YouTube reviewed the video and found it to be “in violation” of its content guidelines.



YouTube’s community guidelines put limits on videos containing sex, nudity, hate speech, dangerous or illegal acts and anything that violates copyright. The YouTube notice sent on Thursday does not specify in what manner Prabhuvinte Makkal has contravened its rules.



“The film is openly critical of godmen and even the idea of god but there is nothing that violates these guidelines,” said C Vishwanathan, founder president of the Kerala Freethinkers Forum, a non-profit organisation that encourages rational and scientific thinking.



Renewed interest



Before its theatrical release in 2012, the Central Board of Film Certification had cleared the film with a "U" certificate that allows universal, unrestricted public exhibition throughout India. Prabhuvinte Makkal did not do well in theatres then but it generated a lot of interest after the colossal success of Aamir Khan-starrer PK, which too questions superstitions and blind faith. Prabhuvinte Makkal’s director Sajeevan Anthikad says he got many requests from people wanting to watch his movie.



On January 8, Anthikad, a member of the Kerala Freethinkers Forum, uploaded the film on YouTube. “It went viral and within three weeks we had 120,000 viewers,” he said.



Anthikad and Vishwanath believe that Hindu fundamentalist groups have resorted to flagging the video en masse to get it pulled from YouTube – a pattern they have seen before. The Kerala Freethinkers Forum’s Facebook page has been shut down by administrators at least five times after similar mass reporting. “This has happened with all Freethinker movements in Kerala, wherever we make some dent,” he said. “When we have 5,000 or 10,000 people liking or joining they won’t do anything. But once they cross the 100,000-mark then the backlash will come. This is the pattern that is followed all the time.”



Different strokes



Anthikad and other members of the forum plan to approach YouTube with the censor board certificate and media reviews supporting Prabhuvinte Makkal to get it restored online.



The film is Anthikad’s first feature film and tells the story of a man drawn to spirituality who goes to Hrishikesh where he finds scams and disillusionment in the name of God. He returns to find his town and family in the clutches of a crooked godman. “My film had fresh faces who were not popular stars,” Anthikad said. “Probably Prabhuvinte Makkal starring Aamir Khan would have been successful in the theatres.”



Video clips and trailers of the movie uploaded by those other than the Kerala Freethinkers Forum are still available on YouTube.







