CBFC's Naughty List for Dhawan Jr.'s Romp
So, the IPL's done and dusted, and now it's time for Bollywood to step up to the crease, right? This Friday, June 5, we're kicking off the release season with David Dhawan's latest directorial, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. The trailers looked like full paisa vasool fun, a typical Dhawan-style comic caper with a stellar cast. But, as always, our beloved Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had to put in their two cents, or rather, their two cuts!
The film officially bagged a U/A 16+ certificate, which, honestly, feels a bit restrictive for a Dhawan comedy. Usually, his films are for everyone, yaar. But the real juicy bits are the modifications they demanded. Four words had to be swapped out for 'appropriate terms' – classic CBFC euphemism, I tell you. And, of course, a 'vulgar hand gesture' got the chop. Predictable.
But here's where it gets interesting: the censor board went after a condom brand! Yep, the brand name had to be blurred out, and even the word for the flavour of said condom was muted. I mean, seriously? Are we pretending condoms don't exist? It's 2024, people! This kind of prudishness just makes you roll your eyes, doesn't it?
Cricketers, Undergarments, and Other Head-Scratchers
Hold on, there's more! The CBFC also decided that a shot featuring the names of cricketers Jos Butler and Ben Stokes needed to be visually edited down to a mere 6 seconds. Now, this one has me scratching my head. What could possibly be controversial about two well-known cricketers' names? Unless they were written on something… particularly objectionable? We'll probably never know the full story, but it just adds another layer of bizarre to the censor process.
And then, the evergreen favourite: 'dancing women'. The board asked the makers to zoom in on the faces and upper bodies of women dancing because, gasp, their undergarments were visible! It's like some things never change in our censor world. Women dancing, showing a bit of skin – it's always a red flag for them.
Despite all these creative edits, the certificate for Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai was handed over on May 27. The final runtime clocks in at a decent 136.40 minutes, which is 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 40 seconds. Not too long, not too short – just right for a comedy, I think.
With a cast that includes Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, Pooja Hegde, Maniesh Paul, Chunky Pandey, Jimmy Shergill, Mouni Roy, and more, this film has all the ingredients for a fun ride. Let's hope these quirky censor cuts don't take away from the entertainment value. David Dhawan is known for his knack for comedies, and I'm still optimistic this one will be a hit, even with the CBFC playing spoilsport with condoms and cricketers. Fingers crossed for a full entertainer this Friday!
