A little leap for rainbow pride and a massive one for the Censor Board! We hear, it is quite possible that the Central Board of Film Certification or the CBFC will give a green signal to an intense same-sex liplock between the lead stars of the upcoming film, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra Kumar. This smells like freedom and liberation to us, a scent we’d very much like to bottle up for a sniff on a dull day.
As per a report in Bollywood Hungama, “No member of the censor board had any objection to the same-sex kiss in the trailer. However, the expletive that Gajraj Rao utters when he sees his son (Jitendra) kissing his male lover (Ayushmann), has been beeped.” This coming from the same board that had back in 2017 denied a theatrical release to Alankrita Shirivastava’s Lipstick Under My Burkha. Reason? “The story is lady-oriented, their fantasy above life. There are continuous sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a sensitive touch about one particular section of society.”
Amnesty International India had intervened asking the CBFC not to indulge in “moral policing.” The Appellate Tribunal also sprung to action. And after much pressure, the film did enjoy a theatrical release, albeit followed by much brouhaha and with an ‘A’ certificate. ALSO READ: A Monokini-Clad Shibani Dandekar Turns Muse For BF Farhan Akhtar Before She Takes A Dip In The Water – Video
Coming back to ‘shubh’ times, SMZS, has been in news for all the right reasons, with its trailer garnering much love from the social media users. This sequel to the 2017 sleeper hit, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, is a much anticipated one, thanks to a witty screenplay, talented actors and a storyline that’s not really been experimented with in mainstream cinema. Producer Aanand L Rai was very keen that the film gets a U certificate, ensuring a wider audience reach.
But according to reports he was a little skeptical that the same-sex kiss could prove a hindrance. But to his delight, the Censor Board didn’t really raise an objection to it. The same report quoted a source, “They (CBFC) are looking at it as a love story, not a GAY love story, a sure sign that the censor board in India has evolved.” As for us? We are going clap-clap with the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy shop.
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