We’ve heard enough about how the kissing scene in the James Bond film was cut to about half its original length by the Censor Board ’cause it was just too much kissing. But what if I told you ‘Spectre’ was one of the lucky ones?
There have been several other films in cinematic history that actually never made it to Indian screens. Behold, all the cinematic adventure the desi audiences missed out on over the years.
1. 50 Shades of Grey (2015)
It was banned by the CBFC thanks to its many sex scenes, something that Indians must not be exposed to, according to the Censor Board.
The heavily sex-centric film was not given a rating by the Censor Board, even after voluntary cuts were made by the distributor. They decided to stick to good old Indian values, over blindfolds and handcuffs.
2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
The Indian Censor Board decided to ban this thriller for its adult scenes of rape and torture.
The authorities demanded that these scenes be cut, which the director David Fincher refused to do. And the rest, as they say, is missed cinema.
3. Dirty Grandpa (2016)
The CBFC found the film obscene because “this grandpa is dirtier than any 70-year old man.”
And of course, grandpas should always be sanskari. “We’ve placed a ban on ‘Dirty Grandpa’. We wonder why an actor of De Niro’s caliber did such a sleazy film,” a Board member was quoted as saying. And just like that ‘Dirty Grandpa’ was buried.
4. Magic Mike XXL (2015)
It’s a movie about male stripping – I don’t think I need to say much more.
The Board felt it was against Indian culture. After the Examining Committee rejected it and a majority vote went against the male-exotic dancing drama, the makers had no option but to halt the release.
5. Get Hard (2015)
The studio was convinced that there was no way the Board members would let ‘Get Hard’ play on Indian screens the way it was meant to.
In an unprecedented loss to the Indian screens, days before its premiere, Warner Brothers decided to withdraw ‘Get Hard’s Indian release, fearful of the unpredictable cuts the CBFC would invariably inflict on their film.