SUPERMAN's Kiss Censored in India, Fans Slam 'Ridiculous' Move — GeekTyrant
India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ordered cuts to two kissing scenes in the film, including the 33-second mid-air kiss between Superman and Lois Lane, citing them as 'overly sensual,' according to local reports.
The edits were made to secure a UA (13+) rating ahead of its July 7 certification. As you might imagine, the decision has ignited backlash from fans and industry voices who see it as yet another example of India's inconsistent censorship practices.
Actor Shreya Dhanwanthary ( Scam 1992, The Family Man ) didn't mince words, posting:
'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.'
Film critic and digital creator Amol Jamwal echoed the frustration on X:
'You can have lewd double meaning jokes in Housefull 5. Beheadings & gory violence in Jaat But…. Superman kissing Lois Lane is where we draw the line.'
Another user summed up the hypocrisy:
'CBFC would allow horrific scenes of violence and sexual assault in a U certified film that kids are freely allowed to watch, but won't allow consensual kissing in a U/A comic book movie that kids should watch under adult supervision.'
This isn't an isolated case. Earlier this year, F1 had a middle-finger emoji swapped for a fist, and Thunderbolts* landed in India with muted expletives. These moves have reignited a long-running debate about censorship, morality, and the CBFC's sweeping powers under the Cinematograph Act.
While the board's guidelines emphasize freedom of speech and expression, those rights are curtailed by 'reasonable restrictions' on grounds such as 'decency or morality.' The challenge for filmmakers is that these terms remain broad—and subjective.
Adding to the frustration is the 2021 dissolution of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal, which once provided an industry-level appeals process. Today, studios have only one option: pursue costly, time-consuming legal battles in India's high courts, a daunting prospect for international releases on strict global timelines.
The Superman controversy now joins a growing list of creative clashes with censorship, sparking the question… where do we draw the line between cultural sensitivity and stifling creative freedom?
Source: Variety
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