As the largest film-producing industry in the world, Bollywood has no scarcity of movies that raised the brows of the Censor Board of Film Certification.
Be it political, religious, bold scenes, or communal violence and homosexuality, many Bollywood movies never saw the light of the day being tagged as ‘controversial’.
Let’s check out the most controversial movies Bollywood has ever made.
Water (2005): Believed to depict the country in a bad light, the movie follows the ostracism and prejudice against widowed women in an Ashram in Varanasi. The movie faced various threats and had to relocate its shootings to Sri Lanka.
Toofan Singh (2017): Following the life of a Sikh boy who grew up in the chaotic time of the 1980s, the movie was banned by the Censor Board believing it glorified terrorism and could send the wrong message to youngsters. However, it was released internationally in 2017 garnering positive reviews.
Paanch (2003): Anurag Kashyap’s directional debut movie, ‘Paanch’ which was based on real-life incidents of drug abuse, violence, and sex was considered inappropriate for the Indian audience.
Hava Aney De (2004): An Indo-French movie based on the sensitive story of the India-Pakistan war remains unreleased to this day when the movie’s director refused to cut the film according to the Censor Board’s demand. However, the movie went on to get many awards abroad.
The Pink Mirror (2006): The first-ever movie in India featuring two transsexual protagonists. However, according to the Censor Board, it was vulgar and offensive. Despite all, the movie was recognised on international levels receiving many awards.
Black Friday (2007): Another Anurag Kashyap movie to get a temporary ban in India based on the 1993 Mumbai bombings. However, the movie was compared to Academy Award-winning movies like 'Salvador' and 'Munich' by the New York Times, garnering praises from International and national media.
Parzania (2007): Based on the true story of the disappearance of a 10-year-old boy after the incident of the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre where 69 people were killed and became one of the reasons for Gujarat riots, the movie faced threats and was unofficially banned in Gujarat.
Unfreedom (2014): Directed by Raj Amit Kumar, the movie based on the same-sex relationship was banned in India by CBFC.
Inshallah, Football (2010): Based on the life of a young Kashmir boy who aspired to become a famous footballer but saw his dream collapsing because of his alleged militant father. The movie was believed to contain sensitive political content and was banned by the authorities.