With the sixth instalment of the YRF’s Spy Universe franchise right around the corner, the excitement is palpable. Scheduled to hit theatres on August 14, just ahead of Independence Day, the Ayan Mukerji directorial received the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance earlier this week, but not without a little tailoring.
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According to Bollywood Hungama, the film’s producers were directed to make cuts in six places across the film. While action sequences have reportedly not become victims of these cuts, certain sensual scenes and lewd references have been axed. Additionally, the board has asked the makers to reduce sensual visuals by 50 per cent.
Though the exact scenes remain unspecified, it is assumed that the censor board is referring to Kiara Advani’s bikini sequences. Advani will play Ashutosh Rana’s on-screen daughter, Kavya Luthra, in the film. Her green bikini look had gone viral since the release of the trailer and the song Aavan Jaavan. The board had reportedly requested a nine-second trim.
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After various cuts, the Hindi version’s runtime stands at 2 hours and 53 minutes, while the Telugu and Tamil versions are slightly shorter at around 2 hours and 51 minutes.
About ‘War 2’
Though Siddharth Anand helmed the first movie, Ayan Mukerji will take the reins on this one. War 2 is the next instalment in YRF’s Spy Universe, two years after the release of Tiger 3. Shridhar Raghavan has penned the script based on a story by Aditya Chopra.
War (2019) was a Bollywood blockbuster, minting Rs 475 crore against a budget of Rs 170 crore. War 2 is the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe after debuting with Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor-led Ek Tha Tiger in 2012.
While Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR will face off in the action flick, the film’s production will fight its own battle with another major release scheduled for the day—Rajinikanth’s Coolie.
