Malayalam director VC Abhilash has criticized Uni Mukandan’s marks for graphic depiction of violence in a detailed Facebook post.

Abhilash expressed deep concern over the content of the film, especially its second half, which he described as “demonic/inhuman” scenes. In the post, Abhilash revealed that he initially saw Marco’s first half in theaters, but decided to complete it after a friend’s comment about his unprecedented violence. He questioned the mental state of the film’s creators and its audience, calling it “a dark chapter in the history of Indian cinema”.

Here’s the post:

She expressed concern that films like Marco can increase the sensorship by influencing the depiction of crime-thriller narratives in future. Fearing possible justification from the film’s team, Abhilash warned that labeling such material as art could lead to dangerous examples, asking whether the society would accept films supporting condemnable acts under the guise of artistic expression. He urged both the society and the film fraternity to “reject this poisonous snake”.

Here is a screenshot of the latest post:

After the post went viral on social media, Abhilash revealed in another post that he had received several phone calls and messages about the issue the next day. Writing in Malayalam, he said, “I am not interested in getting news or attracting attention (SIC).” He added, “I am receiving calls from news organizations inviting me to discuss the subject. But I honored them (SIC).”

Here is Marco’s trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vqdztv8e-Gg

Marco obtained a ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on December 20, 2024 for its dramatic release. However, the manufacturers faced challenges when they sought ‘UA’ certification for television. CBFC dismissed the petition, leading the film to stream on Soniliv from 14 February 2025.