Films which were banned in India

In India, on an average minimum 800 to 1000 films get released every year. And every film which gets released has to complete the censor formalities.

Coming to the formalities of censor, it is a process were as per the Government rule to control the consequences if the movie contains a content which may be unlawful or contain a content of nudity or sexuality, or religious issues. To overcome future circumstances censor board members will watch the movie before its release and gives certificate according to (Like U, U/A, A as we all know) and suggests any cuts if required.

Indian cinema has no scarcity of films even though it has courted major controversy or faced complete ban and were never released in the country. Though most of the movies do not face any issues, some movies get banned by the censor board for different reasons.

This is a list of films that have been or are banned in India. This list includes titles that were refused a rating by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) initially or permanently. Even though there are 36 films in all which are banned nationwide, the list includes films which you might not be aware about from 1956 till 2016.

1. Neel Akasher Neechey (1959)

It was banned for two months for overt political overtones; it showed the troubles faced by an immigrant Chinese wage laborer in 1930s Calcutta.

2. Garam Hawa (1973)

The release was held up by the censors for 8 months. The film depicted a Muslim family during the partition of India.

3. Pati Parmeshwar (1987)

It was denied a rating by the Censor for depicting a woman in “ignoble servility” of her husband. Later, Bombay High Court allowed its release.

4. Bandit Queen (1994)

It was banned temporarily by the Delhi High Court after Phoolan Devi, the subject of the film’s story, challenged its authenticity.

5. Paanch (2001)

It was banned for glorifying drugs, sex and violence, later certified with cuts but went unreleased.

6. Final solution (2004)

The documentary film was banned by the Censor Board for being provocative and under concerns that it may trigger communal violence.It was based on the 2002 Gujarat violence. But, it was cleared after some months.

7. Black Friday (2005)

The movie was based on the 1993 Bombay bombings. The released was blocked until the verdict of the lawsuit by the Bombay High Court on the petition of the under-trials.The film was originally set to be released in India on 28 January 2005.The producers appealed at the Supreme Court but the High Court order was upheld. The movie finally saw its release on 9 February 2007.

8. Kaum De Heere (2014)

The film was banned by the central government after the Intelligence Bureau had warned that the film may cause communal tensions. The film glorified the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

9. The Mastermind Jinda Sukha (2015)

The film was cleared by the CBFC but banned by the Minister of Home Affairs. The films is based on the lives of the assassins of General Arun Shridhar Vaidya. The makers of the film decided to release it overseas.

10. Mohalla Assi (2016)

The CBFC denied a rating to the film. The film deals with the commercialisation of the pilgrimage city Varanasi.On December 11, 2017, Delhi High Court allowed the release of the film with one cut and adult certification, setting aside the order of CBFC.