In Malayalam cinema, references to beef and beef eating are common. No more so. According to a source in the know, all references to beef as cuisine will be banned by the Central Board of Film Certification(CBFC).
Recently, a reference to ‘beef biryani’ in the Malayalam film Haal was removed by the CBFC. The makers have now gone to court in the matter.
But a source in the know says that the CBFC’s beef over beef biryani is not a one-off thing.
“Malayalam films have, over the years, normalized references to beef consumption. It may be a part of the normal cuisine in Kerala for a certain section. But for the rest of the county, the cow is a sacred animal in the Hindu religion. Beef references will henceforth be removed from all films,” said the source.