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28 March 2024

Bollywood no-show: Will 'Grand Masti' face censor's axe in UAE?

Indian Bollywood film actors Vivek Oberoi (2L) Aftab Shivdasani (2R) and Ritesh Deshmukh (R) pose with actresses (L/R) Bruna Abdullah, Karishma Tanna, Kainaat Arora, Manjari Fadnis and Sonalee Kulkarni pose during the promotion of the forthcoming Hindi film “Grand Masti” at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festival 2013 in Mumbai on August 26, 2013. (AFP)

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By Sneha May Francis

While actors Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivadasani and Riteish Deshmukh are busy plugging their latest Bollywood comedy ‘Grand Masti’ in India, their supposed laugh-riot has been axed in the UAE.

The UAE censor board has stalled the release due to the movie’s “adult content”.

“It has not been banned. It is under review,” clarified Juma Obaid Al Leem, director of the Media Content Tracking Department at the National Media Council.

“My team watched the movie yesterday, and they have filed a report, which clearly states that the movie features bad words and objectionable scenes.
 
“Our decision not to release the movie this Thursday is based on that report.

He added that the movie will be reviewed again and a final decision will be made.

“If we think the movie can be released with a few cuts, we will inform the distributors.”

Indian Bollywood film actors Vivek Oberoi (2L) Aftab Shivdasani (2R) and Ritesh Deshmukh (R) at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festival 2013 in Mumbai on August 26, 2013. (AFP)

Juma informed that UAE has a large family audience and it would be unfair to subject them to such offensive subjects.

The film’s UAE distributer – Al Nisr Cinema – had communicated the news to the three movie showcasers in the UAE – Vox, Grand and Reel Cinema, who have since deleted the movie from their weekly show timings.

The reason, a staffer claimed, is the movie’s “vulgar content”.

“I have also learnt that the movie has been stopped from releasing in some Indian states,” Juma highlighted.

According to the Indian media, a top court has stalled the release of ‘Grand Masti’ in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, after objections were raised over the movie’s “obscene scenes and double meaning dialogues”.

‘Grand Masti’ is Inder Kumar’s sequel to his 2004-hit adult comedy ‘Masti’. It’s also touted as Bollywood’s “grand take” on adult comedies like ‘American Pie’ and ‘Boogie Nights’.

The movie’s 2-minute trailer showcases innumerable obscene images and double-meaning lines that are extremely over-the-top.

Earlier the UAE censor board had banned movies like Vikram Bhatt’s horror thriller ‘Raaz 3’ and Bejoy Nambir’s ‘David’ for its racy content.