Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Bling has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) — but with some crucial cuts. Sikh cultural organisations had raised objections against certain scenes in the film, and it is these contentious references that have now been removed.
A source connected to the project tells us, “The CBFC was very clear on the issue of cultural policing. Only if the objectionable scenes were seen to go astray of the board’s guidelines would they be censored. There were two such scenes which Sikh organisations objected to and which the board then decided to delete from the film. One of them has Akshay Kumar using his holy kadaa (iron bangle) like a weapon and the other scene shows his turban catching fire. These two scenes have been censored. The rest of the film had no objectionable content.”
The UA certificate is still something of a setback for Akshay, since Singh Is Bling was specifically targeting the star’s younger fans. “The story is aimed at children,” said the director Prabhudheva. “The ‘UA’ certificate doesn’t mean children are less important to the film. It just means they’ve to come to the theatres with their parents. Once they do, Akshay and I promise them a grand time,” he said, adding that this was the most original film he has made.
