Vedaa: John Abraham and Sharvari’s Film Receives U/A Certificate from CBFC After Delay
Just days ahead of its release, John Abraham and Sharvari’s upcoming film Vedaa has received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a U/A certificate. However, the Revising Committee (RC) mandated the removal of over nine minutes of footage and the addition of a modified disclaimer and voiceover lasting 1 minute and 16 seconds at the film’s start. As reported by Bollywood Hungama, the board implemented several significant changes, including altering a dialogue that contained derogatory references to women and social identity. A hanging scene lasting 2 minutes and 16 seconds was also cut, and the mention of “Jodhpur” was muted in a related court scene.
Also, the RC required a 30 percent reduction in a violent court scene, resulting in a cut of 6 minutes and 15 seconds.Additional edits involved removing an audio track of Sanskrit shlokas, modifying an abusive term, blurring visuals of currency notes being torn, and eliminating text that read, “Brahmin son…Shudra’s son.” In total, these edits reduced the film’s runtime to 2 hours and 30 minutes.Vedaa finally received its CBFC certification after the filmmakers expressed concerns about an “unusual delay” in the review process. In a statement, they noted, “We adhered to protocols and applied for certification well before the eight-week deadline.
After our film was screened on June 25, we were referred to a revising committee without any explanation regarding the examining committee’s concerns. Despite waiting patiently and documenting our appeal daily, we remain confident in the system and trust that the CBFC will rightfully oblige.”Director Nikkhil Advani previously stated, “Vedaa is not just a film; it’s inspired by real events and reflects our society while pushing the boundaries of reality. Working with John, Sharvari, and Abhishek Banerjee has been an incredible experience. We hope the audience will be as moved as we were when we first heard the story.”Vedaa, which also features Abhishek Banerjee and Tamannaah Bhatia, is set to hit theaters on Independence Day, August 15.
