CBFC removes references to Gita, Quran from India’s Most Wanted

Raj Kumar Gupta's upcoming film India’s Most Wanted has been granted a U/A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after directing the omission of some scenes in which references are made to the Bhagavad Gita and the Quran, said the director.

The teaser of the Arjun Kapoor-starrer had created a stir with a terrorist citing the Gita. In a leaked teaser doing the rounds online, Arjun Kapoor's character is seen quoting the Quran.

Asked about the cuts suggested by the CBFC, Gupta told the Indo-Asian News Service, “It [the reference to the Quran] was there in the film and it was in the film’s teaser when it came for the first time. It was allowed in the teaser, but when we submitted the film for certification, they informed us that it is a little sensitive. They asked us can we remove the Gita and Quran from the film because it is sensitive, and because it is something sensitive in nature, we did it.”

Asked if he found it unfair, Gupta said, “I don't know if it's unfair, but we respect all religions, so we have to look at the sensitivity factor of it. That is why when the request came, we decided to remove it. Although it was there in the teaser, so the motivation was because it was allowed in the teaser, it would be allowed in the film. But because it was sensitive in nature and they requested us, we submitted the film without the Gita and Quran mentions.”

Speaking about other cuts recommended in the film, Gupta said, “This one is a major cut, rest are small things.” He added that the movie has got a U/A certificate and will be released on 24 May.

The film is is inspired by a ‘true story’ relating to a terrorist. It is about a mission of five people to nab India's most wanted terrorist, described in the movie as India's Osama, without any weapon or support in just four days.

On speculation that the film is about the Indian Mujahideen terror group's founder Yasin Bhatkal, Gupta told IANS, “I want people to come and watch the film, and then discuss. We want a discussion in the sense that the person whose life inspires this film was one of the wanted terrorists in India. Not only is the film inspired by that, but by how he was captured by these five unlikely men without firing any bullets or official support from the authorities.”

Gupta's motivation to make the film stemmed from the incredible nature of the story. “This is a film which is inspired by one of those incidents which are a landmark as far as human intelligence is concerned," the director said. "It portrays the reality with which our forces, our intelligence agents, or people working for the country go through with the danger of being in a job like that. Still they go out and protect us, keep us safe. This film is an attempt to say thank you to them.”

Watch the teaser here and let us know in the message board below if you think the CBFC was right.