New Delhi: Director James Gunn’s newly released ‘Superman’, which is racing at the box office, has hit an unexpected and perplexing snag in India, as two of the film’s kissing scenes between the titular superhero and his lover Lois Lane were censored, drawing the ire of fans over the unnecessity of the cut, and the censor board’s noted inconsistencies in its censorship practices.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) removed two kiss scenes – most notably a 33-second mid-air kiss – deeming them “overly sensual", something which sparked visible outrage among movie goers and netizens in India, who blasted the CBFC online.
‘Family Man’ actress Shreya Dhanwanthary also joined in the fray, stating on social media, "If this is true, this is RIDICULOUS!!! Some ridiculous crap happens every day. Every. Damn. Day. Sure, this is the least of our worries but is something done about anything else? There is some crap every day. Every. Damn. Day.”
CBFC’s censorship policies have been noted for being highly inconsistent, as many films (domestic and foreign) during screenings have their rough expletives, violence, or their erotic and sensual scenes seeing very minimal cuts.
The 2021 dissolution of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal has further complicated matters, leaving filmmakers with no industry recourse short of legal appeals through India’s high courts — a time-consuming and expensive process, particularly for international studios with global rollouts.
