Bobby Deol’s upcoming dark drama ‘Bandar’ has been making headlines ever since its announcement, and now the film has cleared the CBFC hurdle with an ‘A’ certificate. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film is set to hit theatres on June 5, and the censor details have fans buzzing with anticipation.
According to industry sources, the Central Board of Film Certification’s Examining Committee cleared ‘Bandar’ without demanding any visual cuts, despite its intense and dark theme. However, the film underwent several dialogue changes, primarily targeting abusive language used throughout.
From ‘b**** c***’ to ‘banjo’: The creative censor solutions
The censor board reportedly replaced the word ‘b**** c***’ with ‘banjo’, while several other strong cuss words were swapped with milder alternatives such as ‘saale’, ‘haramkhor’, ‘gu’, ‘pagal’, ‘bloody’, ‘moron’, and ‘clown’. Some words were replaced with ‘aicha gavat’, ‘goddamit’, ‘baby’, ‘nasha’, ‘ladki’, ‘kamine’, and ‘hum sab’. The word ‘b*****d’ was ordered to be deleted entirely, one abusive word in the third act was muted, and three more were silenced. The dialogue ‘kitna bhi sindoor’ was also flagged for modification.
The makers submitted documents to prove that the film is based on a true story, along with a consent letter from celebrities to use their names in the film. Once all changes were made, ‘Bandar’ received its censor certificate on May 30. The certificate reveals the film’s runtime as 130.27 minutes, translating to 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 27 seconds.
Bobby Deol and Anurag Kashyap join forces
‘Bandar’ marks the first collaboration between Bobby Deol and Anurag Kashyap, and industry insiders say the actor is likely to be seen in a tough, intense role. The film also features Sapna Pabbi, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Jitendra Joshi in important parts.
With its dark premise and the much-anticipated pairing of Bobby and Kashyap, ‘Bandar’ has already piqued audience curiosity. The bold use of the song ‘Come On Baby’ has also added to the buzz around the film.
Meanwhile, ‘Obsession’ fans have a different kind of horror to talk about
In a completely different world of horror, the film ‘Obsession’ is taking over the internet with fans raving about its lead stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette. Moviegoers have taken to social media to share their reviews, with many praising the horror and gore sequences.
One fan shared a detailed post about the film, saying that when Nikki throws up on Bear, it’s mostly stomach acid from lack of food, indicating she was so entrapped in ‘loving’ Bear that she ignored basic human necessities. Another fan praised Inde’s acting, referring to one scene where she walks inhumanely behind Bear, writing, ‘Dis s**** right here gave me goosebumps lol super creepy.’
But the real conversation is about Bear, the film’s villain. Fans have pointed out that neither Nikki nor the entity that took over was evil – it was Bear who was the true evil. One fan explained, ‘The real horror of Obsession isn’t Nikki, it’s Bear, because Bear represents a kind of horror that is very real for so many women. Men whose ego, obsession, entitlement, and need for control can completely ruin your life and alter your future forever.’
Another user added, ‘Love how nobody understood that the true message of obsession is for men who idealise their crush to unrealistic levels. Bear didn’t love Nikki; he loved the idea of her.’
The film’s official synopsis reads, ‘After breaking the mysterious ‘One Wish Willow’ to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.’