KOZHIKODE: Kerala filmmaker Omar Lulu on Monday withdrew his new film from theatre, days after he was booked by the State Excise Department for allegedly promoting the use of a banned synthetic drug in its trailer.
Last week, the Kozhikode Range of the Excise Department had registered a case against Lulu and the producers of the movie 'Nalla Samayam' after finding that scenes and dialogues, promoting the usage of the MDMA, a banned drug, were included in the promotional trailer.
The film was released on December 30, 2022. The Excise Department served him a notice on December 31.
"We are withdrawing 'Nalla Samayam' from the theatre. Rest of the matters will be decided on the basis of the court order", Lulu said in a Facebook post.
The Excise department has alleged that besides the substance, the trailer also had scenes blindly promoting alcoholism and the movie makers did not even bother to show the statutory warning on the screen.
The case was registered on Thursday under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic and Substances Act and Abkari Act. The Excise Department has submitted a report in this regard in the court.
In a Facebook post, Lulu on Friday had said he was happy that the new movie was received well by the youth.
Without directly mentioning the case, he sarcastically had said he might face police action and so he would come back after securing bail.
'Nalla Samayam', the fifth movie helmed by him, has a group of freshers in prominent roles.