CBFC Demands Over 20 Cuts in The India Story, Resulting in 4.27 Minutes of Edits
The much-anticipated film The India Story, starring Shreyas Talpade and Kajal Aggarwal, is set to hit theaters tomorrow, July 24. However, the film received its censor certificate just 48 hours prior, on July 22. This last-minute approval has drawn attention, particularly regarding the extensive list of cuts mandated by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for this hard-hitting courtroom drama.
Extensive Cuts and Modifications
The India Story has been granted a U/A 16+ certificate by the CBFC, but not without significant alterations. The board requested more than 20 cuts, primarily affecting dialogue. A detailed disclaimer was added at both the beginning and end of the film, extending its runtime by 50 seconds. Notably, a dialogue that originally stated that farmers make up 65% of the population was altered to reflect just 25%. Additionally, the board required modifications to what they deemed “offensive words” used in reference to the farming community.
The film also faced scrutiny over its portrayal of the Endosulfan tragedy in Kerala, which required adjustments for accuracy. Specific dialogues were flagged for modification, including one in the second half and another in a courtroom scene that occurs at the two-hour mark. The dialogue “Munh mein dande daal” was changed, while the line “Desh ke kisaan desh ke…….Khila ke maar rahe hain” was completely removed, cutting the film’s runtime by 20 seconds.
Additional Dialogue Changes
Further changes included the modification of the dialogue “Salana 105-2 kilo,” and the deletion of a 14-second line discussing the chemical load in mothers’ milk, which could lead to cancer in newborns. A dialogue starting with “Aapko jab licence” to “Naya Bharat hai” was also axed, along with a reference to fake milk that required modification.
The CBFC’s cuts continued with a 20-second dialogue beginning with “Apni RDX waali” being removed, as well as a 40-second line about Endosulfan. Another 20-second dialogue starting with “Kisan doshi hai” was eliminated, and a significant post-interval dialogue lasting 1 minute and 20 seconds that began with “Kisaan annadata hai” was also cut. Lastly, the board requested modifications to a “visual of disgust” related to a cancer train and its announcement dialogue.
Final Runtime and Certification
In total, the CBFC censored 4 minutes and 27 seconds of The India Story. The final length of the film, as indicated on the censor certificate, is 130.13 minutes, or 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 13 seconds.
Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Sports, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.
