Director Sajeev Pazhoor has openly questioned the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)'s decision to grant his upcoming Tamil film 'Enna Vilai' a U/A certificate, insisting the film is a clean family entertainer that deserves an unrestricted 'U' certificate. The film, starring Nimisha Sajayan and Karunaas in the lead, is set to release on 17 September 2025.

Director's Surprise Over Censor Board Call

Speaking at a press conference in Chennai on 15 September, Pazhoor said he was at a loss to explain the certification. 'Even I don't know why they have given a U/A certificate for our film. In fact, we made a demand for a U certificate with the censor officer and I even had an argument,' he said.

The director was categorical that the film contains no objectionable content. 'This is a clean U film. There are no objectionable sequences in my film like people consuming alcohol. All the films I have made so far have all got U certificates. I don't know how this film comes under the U/A category,' Pazhoor added.

A Film With an Already Strong Festival Run

'Enna Vilai' — which translates broadly as 'What is the Price?' — is described as a socio-political family thriller that poses a pointed question about the dignity of a poor man and its worth in contemporary society. Even before its theatrical release, the film has been officially selected at approximately 30 international film festivals worldwide, an uncommon achievement for a regional Indian production at this stage.

Notably, the film has already won the Best Feature Film award at the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival in Germany, lending it significant critical credibility ahead of its public release.

The Village That Became Part of the Story

The production team made a distinctive choice for the film's first-look launch: instead of enlisting a celebrity or mounting a digital campaign, they returned to Paalam village in Dhanushkodi — where much of the film was shot — and handed the honour of unveiling the first look to the local villagers themselves.

Producer Githesh V of Kalamaya Films explained the thinking: 'Every film has a beginning, but very few get the opportunity to begin with gratitude… We felt it was only right that this honour belonged to them. More than a promotional event, this was our heartfelt way of saying thank you.'

Pazhoor echoed the sentiment: 'During the making of Enna Vilai, the people of Paalam embraced us like family. Before the film reaches audiences across the world, we wanted it to first belong to the people who stood beside us from the very beginning.'

Cast, Crew and Creative Lineage

'Enna Vilai' is written and directed by Sajeev Pazhoor and produced by Githesh V under the banner of Kalamaya Films. Pazhoor is best known in Malayalam cinema circles for writing the story of 'Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum', a critically acclaimed superhit that earned widespread praise for its restrained realism.

The ensemble cast includes Y. Gee. Mahendran, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Mohan Ram, Lollu Sabha Swaminathan, Kavithalayaa Krishna, Deepa Shankar, Mottai Rajendran, and Nakkalites Kavi, among others.

What Comes Next

With the U/A certificate now confirmed — and no indication that the CBFC has responded to the director's objections — 'Enna Vilai' will open in theatres on 17 September with the classification intact. Whether the certification affects its audience reach, particularly for younger viewers, remains to be seen. The film's strong festival pedigree and the goodwill built around its community-first launch are expected to drive early word-of-mouth.