'Black Widow' to release with 26 cuts

Debutant filmmaker Dinkar Rao's film "Black Widow", based on the story of a prostitute, is set for release after being in a tussle with the Central Board Of Film Certification for "two long years".

"I had a terrible time with the censor board. I have struggled for two long years to get this film cleared. Revising committee in the beginning were very much for the film, but when the additional commissioner watched the film they banned it," Rao told IANS.

"Then I went to the tribunal and they passed the film with 26 cuts and 20 minutes of my film got chopped off. I feel releasing the film is very tough in India," he added.

"Black Widow" is the story of a prostitute from Mumbai. She has a variety of clients - a businessman, an assassin, a cab driver and a sociologist.

"The film is story of a prostitute Zoya who is tormented by the past murder of her family and child and her own gang rape.

"She meets this cab driver while working as a prostitute, in this one night story which is juxtaposed by the past of Zoya, her interrogation, her past and the trauma. Finally their bonding gets closer and closer," he shared.

The film has been made under the banner of Lavanya Entertainment and stars Shivani Grover, Sanjay Jain, Kushal Punjabi and Rohit Raj. It is slated for a May release.