CBFC wants PM quote in Aamir Khan's 'Sitaare Zameen Par', four other edits

The Central Board of Film Certification has cleared Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par with five key changes, including a PM Modi quote in the disclaimer, ahead of its June 20 release

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has asked the makers of upcoming film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ to incorporate five key modifications, including the addition of a quote by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the film’s opening disclaimer, reported The Hindustan Times.

 

According to a U/A certificate issued on June 17, the PM’s quote referencing the year 2047 has been inserted following the opening disclaimer. The nature and content of the quote remain unclear. The certification allows audiences of all age groups to view the film, although parental guidance is advised for children under 13.

 

Directed by RS Prasanna, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ features Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh in lead roles. The film is slated for release on June 20 and is a Hindi adaptation of the 2018 Spanish film ‘Champions’, which follows the story of a basketball coach training a team of intellectually disabled players as part of his court-ordered community service.

 

The movie was reviewed by a nine-member revising committee headed by noted theatre director Waman Kendre. A revising committee is typically constituted by the CBFC chairperson either on their own discretion or on request from the filmmaker, following recommendations by the initial examining committee.

 

The final certification confirms that all “excisions and modifications imposed by the board have actually been carried out” by the producer, Aamir Khan Films LLP.

 

Apart from the inclusion of the PM’s quote, other changes include: 

- Replacement of the term “business woman” with the gender-neutral “business person”.

 

- Substitution of the 30-second written disclaimer with a 26-second voice-over.

 

- Removal of a visual containing the word “kamal” (lotus), along with its appearance in subtitles.

 

- Replacement of the name “Michael Jackson” with “Lovebirds” in the subtitles.

 

The filmmakers have complied with all directives, according to the certification. The final runtime of ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ stands at 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 43 seconds.