Liputan6.com, Jakarta James Gunn's Superman movie has been met with controversy in India. India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) removed two kissing scenes from Superman.
The two scenes were considered too sensual, so they had to be removed. With the removal of the two kissing scenes, Superman received an audience rating of 13+.
The CBFC's decision drew sharp criticism from viewers and fans of Superman in India. Actor Shreya Dhanwantary criticized the decision of the censor board in her country.
"If this is true, this is ridiculous!!! Some ridiculous things happen every day. Every. Day," Shreya wrote on her social media account.
According to the Family Man actor, the government should prioritize other matters that are more important than removing Superman's kissing scene.
Not the first case
This is not the first case that happened in 2025. The movie F1 had the middle finger emoji replaced with a fist.
Meanwhile, the movie Thunderbolts was released in India with various swear words removed from the dialogue. This recurring pattern has reignited the debate over freedom of expression and the CBFC's broad powers under the Cinematography Act.
The CBFC certification guidelines enshrine freedom of speech and expression, but these rights are subject to “reasonable restrictions” on various grounds, including “decency or morality.”
The dissolution of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal in 2021 further complicates matters.
Indian filmmakers now have no other way but to file a legal appeal through the Indian High Court.
However, this legal route is usually time-consuming and costly, especially for international studios with a global rollout.