The popular Baaghi series in Bollywood is known for its action and drama. Whenever Tiger Shroff appears on screen in this franchise, fans are guaranteed thrilling fight scenes and action-packed entertainment. But this time, Baaghi 4 has already made headlines before its release, and the reason is – the extensive cuts imposed by the censor board.
Despite giving the film an ‘A’ certificate, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has ordered the removal of 23 visual and audio scenes. Let’s look at the entire story in 10 key points.
23 scenes cut by the censor board
The biggest talking point about the film is the 23 scenes that were cut. These included several visual and audio clips. According to reports, the film’s runtime was initially 2 hours 43 minutes 50 seconds, but after the cuts, it was reduced to 2 hours 37 minutes 5 seconds.
Scene of standing on a coffin removed
The first scene that caught the censor board’s eye was one where the hero stands on a coffin. This was deemed objectionable as it could potentially hurt religious sentiments, and the board ordered its immediate removal.
Controversial cigarette-related scenes banned
There were two shots in the film where the way cigarettes were lit was deemed controversial:
- One character lights a cigarette with a ‘Niranjan diya’ (oil lamp).
- Another character lights a cigarette with a severed hand.
Both these scenes were considered insensitive and promoting unhealthy messages, so they were removed.
Objectionable scenes involving female characters
In one scene, a character runs his hand along a woman’s waist. This scene was considered inappropriate and was modified. There was also a frontal nudity scene in the film, which was ‘hidden’ so that it wouldn’t be directly visible to the audience.
Shots that could hurt religious sentiments removed
There was one shot in the film where a knife is thrown towards a statue of Jesus Christ. In addition, another scene showed someone punching a statue of Jesus, causing it to topple over. Both these shots were deemed offensive to religious sentiments and were completely removed.
Censor Board’s Strictness on Violence Scenes
The Baaghi series has always been known for its violent and action-packed scenes. But this time, the censor board removed several scenes, citing them as excessively violent. These included:
- Scenes of throat-slitting,
- A scene of someone’s hand being chopped off,
- Scenes of killing with swords,
- A scene where a sword is impaled into someone’s head.
Besides these, an 11-second scene of extreme violence was also completely removed.
Audio Edits: Restrictions on Profanity and Certain Words
The censors didn’t just focus on visuals; they also scrutinized the dialogues.
- Words like ‘Bhka’ were removed.
- Words like ‘b****e’ and ‘fingering’ were replaced with suitable alternatives.
- One dialogue was – “Brother, you should have stayed in the condom” → The word ‘condom’ was muted.
- “Your existence will be erased, God” was changed to “Everyone will just watch.”
- “He too is afraid of me” and “Don khoke, ekdum ok” were also removed.
Runtime Editing
Initially, the film’s length was around 163 minutes. But after the censor board’s objections and further editing by the makers, the film’s length was reduced to 157 minutes. In total, approximately 6 minutes and 45 seconds of footage was removed.
Star Cast and Direction
The film’s appeal isn’t limited to Tiger Shroff alone. Sanjay Dutt will be seen as the villain this time. Other actors in key roles include Harnaaz Sandhu, Shreyas Talpade, Saurabh Sachdeva, Upendra Limaye, and Sonam Bajwa. The film is directed by A. Harsha and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. Release and Audience Expectations
Baaghi 4 is set to release in theaters this Friday. Fans have high expectations for the film, as the Baaghi franchise has consistently performed well at the box office. However, due to the cuts made by the censors, many viewers are also wondering if the film’s impact might be diminished.
Conclusion
Baaghi 4 was full of scenes that the censor board deemed controversial or sensitive, many of which had to be removed. Despite this, the film has managed to retain its action-packed identity. The pairing of Tiger Shroff and Sanjay Dutt will be a major draw for audiences. Now, the question is whether, even after the cuts and changes, the film will deliver the same level of excitement that audiences expect.
