Bollywood action hero Tiger Shroff‘s much-awaited film Baaghi 4 has made headlines for censor board cuts ahead of its release. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked for 23 scenes and dialogues to be cut before giving the film an ‘A’ certificate, leading to changes being made to the film.
The film was certified on August 26, followed by a worldwide release on September 5. According to a Bollywood Hungama report, the CBFC’s examining committee removed or changed several violent scenes and controversial dialogues from the film.
The most prominent cuts include:
- The shot showing the hero standing on a coffin was removed.
- Two scenes of lighting a cigarette, one using Niranjan Diya and the other lighting a cigarette using a severed hand, were cut.
- The frontal nude sequence was hidden.
- The scene of throwing a knife at the statue of Jesus Christ and the statue bending when punched was removed.
what is Niranjan Diya
A Niranjan Diya is a type of lamp, often made of brass or white metal, used in religious ceremonies and home decor. They come in various sizes, with dimensions like 2 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches in height. These diyas are commonly used during puja celebrations, adding a touch of magic to the occasion.
Scenes involving violence were also cut. These included scenes of throat slitting, hand chopping and sword slashing of goons. In particular, a 11-second bloody scene and a scene of a sword piercing a skull were removed.
Audio changes
- Not just the visuals, but dialogues were also changed.
- Vulgar words like “bhang b***a”, “be” and “fingering” were muted or replaced with milder words.
- The word ‘condom’ was removed from the dialogue.
- Lines like “Woh bhi darta hai mujhse” were removed completely.
- The total length of the film after these cuts was 163.50 minutes (2 hours 43 minutes 50 seconds).
Producers themselves made cuts
Three days later, on August 29, the filmmakers themselves approached the CBFC and reduced the length of the film by 6 minutes 45 seconds by removing about 19 more scenes, making the final length 157.05 minutes (2 hours 37 minutes 5 seconds). Baaghi 4 thus joins the list of big films that made voluntary cuts even after certification, such as War 2 and The Bengal Files.
According to cinematic analysts the censor board has demanded cuts because of the style and action sequences of Baaghi 4. The film was made safe for adult audiences by removing violence and controversial dialogues.
This trend has increased in Bollywood in recent years, where voluntary cuts are made to reduce violence and sensitive scenes in big budget action films. It has become the responsibility of both the producer and the CBFC to balance the film from the point of view of the audience and the law.
Baaghi 4 advance ticket booking
Baaghi 4 is all set to rock the box office. The advance ticket sales of the film are witnessing tremendous enthusiasm. Around 1.10 lakh tickets have been sold so far in 6,825 shows and the film has earned around Rs 2.67 crore from this. Taking into account the blocked seats, the Day 1 advance booking is believed to reach Rs 5.07 crore.
Special Offer on Day 1 Tickets
The makers of the film have partnered with ticket booking apps to offer up to 50% discount (maximum Rs 150 on two tickets) to attract maximum audience on the first day. This strategy is designed to fill the theatres and increase the hype of Tiger’s signature action-thriller film.
Box Office Clash
Baaghi 4 has already beaten The Bengal Files, which is releasing tomorrow. The Bengal Files, which has a political theme, is expected to attract urban audiences, but Baaghi 4 has recorded almost six times more ticket sales and 60 times more advance earnings, giving Tiger Shroff’s film a clear lead in the clash.
Film Story and Cast
Baaghi 4 is directed by A. Harsha. The film stars former Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu as the lead actress, while Sonam Bajwa plays a pivotal role and Sanjay Dutt will be seen in a negative role. The CBFC has given the film an ‘A’ certificate.
The ‘Baaghi’ series began in 2016 and has been among Tiger Shroff’s biggest commercial hits. It was followed by Baaghi 2 (2018) and Baaghi 3 (2020), which also achieved box office success. With the fourth part, Tiger is set for a big box office comeback, especially after the disappointing performance in the last few releases.
The trailer, which was recently launched in Mumbai, shows Tiger in action mode as he embarks on a bloody and gruesome quest to find his girlfriend Alisha (Harnaaz Sandhu). The film features high-octane stunts, jaw-breaking action and mental struggle. It is touted to be the darkest and most violent version of the franchise.
