Aamir Khan and Genelia D’Souza’s next release Sitare Zameen Par is perhaps the most looked-forward-to Bollywood film of 2024. But just a few days before its release on June 20, the movie was hit with unexpected hurdles in the form of objections from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Censor Board Raises Concerns
As per reports, the CBFC had noted some dialogues and scenes in the film, requiring changes. Producer and actor Aamir Khan disagreed with these changes at first, stating their significance in the emotional crux of the story. This led to a suspension of the certification process.
Revising Committee Intervenes
The issue was taken up to the Revising Committee of the CBFC, headed by Vaman Kendre. The committee watched the movie on June 16 and suggested some minor changes. Aamir finally signed on the proposals.
Major changes were:
Changing “business woman” to “business person”
Deleting a reference to Michael Jackson, substituted with “lovebirds”
Changing the term “Lotus” because of political sensitivity
Substituting the original disclaimer with a quote by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Also Read: Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par 2 Dialogues That Are Inspiring, Yet Problematic
Film Gets Certified
After these changes, Sitare Zameen Par was issued a U/A 13+ certificate on June 17. The movie is of 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 46 seconds duration.
A Hindi Remake with High Hopes
Directed by R.S. Prasanna, Sitare Zameen Par is the official Hindi remake of Spanish sports drama Champions. With its emotional content and star appeal, the film now makes its way to theatres with great expectations. How the audience will react after its encounter with sensitive topics remains to be seen.
