Maharaja

What’s it about?

After burglars ransack Maharaja's home, he asks the police to help find "Lakshmi," a dustbin with sentimental value to his family. Initially, the police dismiss the case as unworthy of their time. However, when Maharaja offers a generous reward for its return, they take the case more seriously. As the investigation progresses, they discover that the dustbin is connected to a larger crime involving a ruthless gang.

The facts

• Directed by Nithilan Swaminathan
• Tamil Language, with English subtitles
• Runtime: 141 minutes
• Maharaja is lead actor Vijay Sethupathi’s 50th film

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about the classification process and ratings here.

Violence

Violence changes from slapstick into serious harm as characters choke, punch, kick, and stab each other. One character loses a limb, and a blurry decapitated head is shown. A man impales another in the head with a machete before slitting his neck; we see a sawing motion and blood pool from a distance.

Sexual Violence

Two scenes strongly suggest sexual violence; one involves a teenager. In one, the perpetrator drags a woman into a room by her hair while her mother wails outside. In the other, a male intruder enters a girl’s room and firmly shuts the door behind him, which implies that he intends to sexually assault her. Later, the same character discusses whether he should go back into the room to sexually assault her again because he plans to kill her anyway.

Helplines:

The sexual violence could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau? - Blog