This Article is From Sep 16, 2016

All That Kissing in Ranveer Singh's Befikre Hasn't Passed the Censor By

All That Kissing in Ranveer Singh's Befikre Hasn't Passed the Censor By

A still from Labon Ka Karobaar from Befikre

Highlights

  • Befikre's first song Labon Ka Karobaar features a number of kisses
  • The CBFC is concerned about the final cut of the film
  • In the past, the Board has been strict with films Tamasha and Spectre
New Delhi: Here we go again, you'll be thinking when we tell you that there might be Censor issues in store for Ranveer Singh's new film Befikre.

Befikre, true to its name, features a helluva lot of kissing and a report in DNA claims the Censor Board is anticipating trouble with the upcoming Yash Raj Films' romantic comedy, co-starring Vaani Kapoor. Scissors are at the ready.

For the completely uninitiated, the promotional strategy for the film, which is set in Paris, has been quite straightforward. Every poster, almost every still and every song features a kiss or kisses. The latest song, Labon Ka Karobaar (loosely translated as 'lip business'), is devoted to the art of kissing and features couples of every gender, age and sexual orientation puckering up at various picturesque locations in Paris.
 


Posters of the film released have featured Ranveer and Vaani kissing.
 


So far, the team at YRF has been quite 'carefree' but a source has told DNA that the Board may be gearing up to chop significant portions from the song, and maybe the film itself. There is much concern amongst the Board members about the quantity and length of the kisses even before the final cut of Befikre has been submitted for approval. Already the Board, under the stewardship of Pankaj Nihalani, has gained a reputation of over-sanskaariness.

Chairperson Nihalani says that they are keeping a track of how things go. "The song Labon Ka Karobar has not come to us. It is out on the internet and therefore falls outside our purview. As for the kisses in Befikre, they have to be seen within the film's context. As far as I know, Befikre is set in Paris, the city of love where public affection is normal. However as I said, we will look at the film and its content when it comes to us," he told DNA.

Last year, there was rebellion in the ranks of the Censor Board after members accused Mr Nihalani of high-handedness. A list of banned swear words was circulated, then rescinded. There was trouble over Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone's lingering goodbye kiss in Tamasha and axing of kissing scenes in Bond film SPECTRE, provoking outrage. 2016 has been a messy year so far with controversial cuts ordered to Abhishek Chaubey's narcotics expose Udta Punjab.

Befikre, which is being described as a "crazy romance" by its cast, features about 27 kisses in all and it looks like the much-reviled Board is once again going too over-zealous about discharging its duties. Whether all goes smoothly and carefree for the team, only time will tell.

Directed by Aditya Chopra, Befikre is slated for a December 9 release.
.