While it is being speculated that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has played the villain in the release of the Telugu version of Mersal, it now comes to light that the film’s producers have themselves opted to hold back the release in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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According to a source, the producers now plan to release more than 800 prints of the Telugu version. CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi clarifies that the Board has nothing to do with the delay of the Telugu version, “Why would we cause any delay? The process of censorship takes time. That process should be respected. Having said that, we must be very clear on this: there are no cuts in the Telugu version. The Tamil and Telugu versions are exactly the same.”

Says former CBFC chairperson, Pahlaj Nihalani, “All the versions of a multilingual film are viewed separately, but certified one after another. So, there is no question of the Telugu version remaining uncertified for weeks after the release of the Tamil version. Someone is trying to gain mileage out of the controversies surrounding this film.”