Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata to Backrooms: CBFC Surprises With Three Zero-Cut Certifications

BY SACNILK

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been under a lot of pressure lately, with social media and the film industry criticizing its recent decisions. If you have been following the news, the heavy cuts imposed on films like Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai and Bandar caused quite a stir. The situation reached a boiling point when certain crucial scenes in the blockbuster Obsession were ordered to be edited, leading to an intense uproar that lasted for days. However, in a development first reported as an exclusive by Bollywood Hungama, the board seems to have taken a surprisingly lenient turn this week by clearing three significant releases with zero cuts. The first major film to benefit from this shift is Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, starring Kangana Ranaut. The movie, which is a thriller based on the tragic 26/11 terror attacks, was granted a U/A 16+ rating by the Examining Committee. Usually, films dealing with such sensitive and violent subject matter face several audio or visual objections, but the CBFC found no reason to ask for any deletions here. According to the censor certificate issued on May 29, the film has a total runtime of approximately 127 minutes, or about 2 hours and 7 minutes. Following this, Vikram Bhatt is making a return to the 3D horror genre with Haunted – Echoes Of The Past. Starring Mimoh Chakraborty, the film has been awarded an ‘A’ rating. Historically, horror films with an adult rating are often subjected to scissor cuts due to intense horrifying sequences or intimate scenes. Surprisingly, this film has passed without a single visual or audio cut. The certificate, issued on June 9, confirms the film's length at nearly 139 minutes, which translates to a runtime of 2 hours and 19 minutes. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The third film to receive a clean chit is the Hollywood sci-fi psychological horror flick, Backrooms. Much like the recent sleeper hit Obsession, there is significant curiosity surrounding this title. The CBFC granted it an ‘A’ rating on June 8 without proposing any cuts. The film is relatively concise, with a runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes. While the zero-cut status is a win for purists, trade analysts suggest a bit of caution. There is a possibility that the studio might have voluntarily blurred or removed certain disturbing shots before the submission to avoid a confrontation with the board, a practice that is becoming increasingly common with international horror releases. This move by the CBFC is being seen as a tactical shift to ease the ongoing tension with filmmakers and audiences alike. By allowing these high-stakes thrillers and horror movies to retain their original vision, the board might be trying to signal a more balanced approach toward adult-oriented content. For now, moviegoers can look forward to watching these titles exactly as the directors intended, provided the studios haven't played it too safe themselves.