A situation has emerged concerning the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) regarding Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par, occurring just one week ahead of its scheduled theatrical release. Reports indicate that the actor-producer and the CBFC are in disagreement over suggested cuts which has resulted in a postponement of the issuance of the censor certificate. Sources suggest that the CBFC is seeking two cuts from the film, a demand with which Aamir Khan disagrees. CBFC’s request involves two specific cuts. Aamir believes the film should receive approval without these modifications, stating that he and the film’s director R S Prasanna dedicated significant effort to craft the movie. Many scenes and dialogues align logically within their intended context.
Due to this dispute, the film has not yet been granted its censor certificate. The actor is now set to meet with the CBFC Examining Committee again on Monday to argue and find a possible solution for the same. Aamir hopes for the CBFC’s endorsement of the film on June 16th, confident that a resolution can be reached. Once that hurdle is cleared, they will enable advance ticket bookings, as theaters are prohibited from selling tickets in the absence of a censor certificate.
Fortunately, the film has already been approved for certification in other nations, which mitigates the situation somewhat. Sitaare Zameen Par has garnered a 12A rating from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in the UK. With a runtime of two hours and 35 minutes, the BBFC notes the film addresses “discrimination and moderate sex references” on its website.
Initially, the plan was to release the film in limited theaters and rely on audience’s word of mouth for increasing the count. Now, the film is expected to debut in approximately 3000 to 3500 theaters across India. In a distinctive move within today’s digital-centric market, Aamir has opted not to sell the film to any OTT platform before its theatrical release, further fueling interest. As the release date approaches, Sitaare Zameen Par has become a topic of significant conversation due to its prominent marketing, ongoing certification challenges, and various related factors.
