Keeping true to its penchant for making it to the news for all ‘sanskari’ reasons, the Central Board of Film Certification has hit headlines again for chopping off scenes. The latest to fall prey to CBFC’s discerning eye is Karan Johar’s directorial ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, which is already in trouble over the presence of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.
According to reports, three steamy scenes – including one shown in the trailer – featuring actors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor have got a thumbs down from the board.
The film has now been given a UA certificate, making it fit for children’s viewing accompanied by adults.
The steamy sequences between Ranbir and Ash were among the key talking points for the film, with reports suggesting that the Bachchan family was not too pleased with their Bahu’s act.
It was later said that it was Aishwarya herself who asked KJo to make her character bolder. With this latest development, looks like viewers won’t get to see her in a bold avatar.
Reportedly, Karan was upset because of the cuts as according to him they were pivotal for his plot. A source privy to the development said that he personally sat through the screening just to make sure that nothing is tampered. But the board objected to the steamy scenes between Ash and Ranbir, though it did appreciate the mature theme and aesthetics.
Karan, apparently, put up a brave fight with the board. He argued that chopping the scenes would hamper the story line but the board refused to budge. The director had to give in, finally.
In the past, the CBFC had cut kissing scenes in ‘Spectre’ (a James Bond movie) by few seconds which had earned the board the ‘sanskaari’ tag. Earlier this year, it had suggested as many as 89 cuts in neo-noir drama ‘Udta Punjab’. It had led to a legal battle between the film industry and the board. Due to CBFC’s moral policing, its chief Pahlaj Nihalani has become the butt of jokes on social media.
Apart from Ash and Ranbir, the movie also stars Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan also has a cameo in this movie releasing on October 28.
