Bollywood and its fascination with banning films are nothing new. But do you know that there are several films that were a massive hit in India but were banned internationally? There are several bizarre reasons behind this. Some were banned due to supposed obscenity while some were denied screening for being too progressive.
In this list, we are going to name the Bollywood films that were blockbuster on the home ground but were banned internationally.
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1. Padman
Akshay Kumar’s film that was praised in India for raising questions on taboo around menstruation, wasn’t welcomed in Pakistan in the same way. For some bizarre reasons, Pakistan’s Federal Censor Board banned the film that was about economically-accessible sanitary napkins for women. They cited that the R Balki film was against their culture and traditions.
2. Oh My God
The film which raked positive reviews in India for pushing the boundaries and raising some genuine questions over religion fanaticism, got banned in many middle-eastern countries. It was not allowed screening for hurting the religious sentiments of people. Among those who banned the film also included UAE.
3. The Dirty Picture
The Dirty Picture won accolades for the very talented actress Vidya Balan, but got banned in many other countries. It was based on the real life of actress Silk Smitha who ended her life while battling depression. The film was banned in Kuwait because they found Vidya Balan’s character too bold for their audience.
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4. Delhi Belly
While the film was inappropriate for the juvenile audience of India as well, it was banned in Nepal for its explicit content. Excessive swearing and few obscene scenes were the ones to be blamed. Not only this, Nepal also banned Chandni Chowk to China starring Akshay Kumar, as it apparently hurt the sentiments of Nepalese community.
5. Bombay
Bombay will always remain one of the finest made cinemas in India. The Mani Ratnam directorial despite being critically-acclaimed, saw a tough time during its release. Many violent incidents took place at the time of the release. Citing the religious tensions, Singapore government decided to ban the film in their country. Well, whatsoever, Bombay will always be a cult film for Bollywood buffs.
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6. Fiza
A fictional story of a man went rogue, Fiza courted controversies for all the wrong reasons. In the film, Hrithik Roshan’s character was shown a Muslim middle-class man who elopes his home to become a militant. Malaysia banned the film saying that a Muslim cannot be a terrorist, contrary to what most of the Bollywood films portray.
7. Baby
Do we even need to explain why this Akshay Kumar blockbuster was banned in Pakistan? If you haven’t watched the film (feel sorry for you), this film is about R&AW and how they go on a covert mission in Dubai to catch the infamous Pakistani terrorist. The Pakistan censor board banned the film because it apparently showed Pakistan in poor light.
8. Raanjhanaa
It seems like our neighbouring country is at their feet when it comes to banning our films. The movie which is basically a romantic saga between two Banaras teenagers offended them. The Sonam Kapoor and Dhanush-starrer film was about a boy (Hindu) was chased a girl (Muslim) till his last breath. The film worked well in India and nobody had any issues with it (at least not any religious one). But Pakistan had issues with Sonam Kapoor’s character who fell in love with two Hindu men. Thus, the film was banned across Pakistan.
9. Agent Vinod
The Saif Ali Khan starrer found itself in soup in Pakistan. The Pakistani censor board banned the film for showing the country in poor light.
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10. Tere Bin Laden
As the name suggests, the film was banned in Pakistan. It was based on the controversial issue of Al-Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden who was killed by US’ covert mission.
11. Bangistan
Another one to be banned by our neighbours. The film was a satire on the life of two suicide bombers, which was apparently offensive to Pakistan.
12. Udta Punjab
The film courted a lot of controversies even for its name. In Pakistan, it was banned for using abusive language. In the opening scene itself, Punjabi youngsters are seen obtaining cocaine from their neighbours that were apparently Pakistanis.
13. Neerja
Based on real life, Neerja showcases the life of Air Hostess Neerja Bhanot who sacrificed her life to save the passengers of a flight taken hostage by Pakistani terrorists.
14. Dishoom
This Varun Dhawan and John Abraham starrer was a film about an Indian batsman going missing. This light-hearted comedy wasn’t liked by Pakistani censor board. They alleged that the film showed Pakistan in a poor light.
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15. Phantom
According to the reports, the film was banned because the Pakistani terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed thought the film portrayed him in a bad light in connection to Mumbai terror attack.
So, the series of countries banning films and making a molehill will never end. Nevertheless, good cinema and art will always find its right place in the society.
