'Heretic': CBFC removes Lord Krishna reference from Hugh Grant's film
What's the story
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has ordered two cuts in the upcoming Hollywood psychological horror film, Heretic, reported Bollywood Hungama.
The board sought the removal of a scene with "inappropriate information about the Hindu deity Lord Krishna."
Both in dialogue and visuals, the seven-second scene was censored. An eight-second scene depicting Mr Reed (Hugh Grant) throwing away religious books was also ordered to be deleted.
Certification details
'Heretic' received 'A' certificate post-censorship
After the mandated cuts, Heretic was given an 'A' certificate by the CBFC on November 27.
An industry expert commented on these cuts, saying, "The CBFC is cautious when it comes to scenes about religious figures and Gods, more so after the Oppenheimer (2023) episode."
A controversial scene in the Christopher Nolan-directed movie featured the Bhagavad Gita and received widespread criticism when it was passed by the CBFC.
"Keeping that painful episode in mind...CBFC decided to play safe."
Release schedule
'Heretic' to hit Indian theaters amid 'Pushpa 2' craze
Despite Pushpa 2 - The Rule's box office success, two Hollywood films have managed to get screens for their upcoming releases.
One is the animated The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim and the other is Heretic.
Both the films will be released on Friday (December 13).
Notably, Kraven The Hunter's release has been pushed to January 1, 2025, owing to a shortage of screens due to the high demand for Allu Arjun's film.
About the film
Meanwhile, know more about 'Heretic'
Heretic, a psychological horror film written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8.
The movie stars Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East as two Mormon missionaries who encounter a reclusive man, played by Grant, during their mission to convert him.
However, they soon discover he is far more dangerous than they initially believed.