Picture the scene. Daniel Craig's muscular and brooding Bond fights his way past an inordinate number of evil henchmen to get the girl. They are locked in a passionate kiss. Then, the snog is over before it has even begun.
Indian film fans are baffled by the new, apparently chaste, Bond who takes to the screens today in a heavily censored version of the worldwide blockbuster Spectre. The Central Board of Film Certification judged that two passionate embraces between the famously philandering spy and his co-stars, Monica Bellucci and Léa Seydoux, went on too long for Indian audiences to stomach. “The length of the kisses were found to be unnecessarily excessive,” a source at the board told the DNA news website.
Ashoke Pandit, a member of the censor board, confirmed that the kissing scenes had been cut, but said the decision was taken in a “personal capacity” by the board's controversial chair, Pahlaj Nihalani. “He does these kind of things,” Mr Pandit told BBC Hindi. “Other shots have also been cut along with the kissing scene. This seems like a joke. If you do this to a James Bond film, it's shameful.”
Censors in India regularly intervene when they decide films are too steamy or offensive, prompting criticism that they are too strict and conservative. Lingering kisses are largely absent from Indian screens, with the locking of lips remaining a taboo despite raunchy dancing being a mainstay of Bollywood hits.
The authorities' decision to curtail Bond's desires was roundly mocked. “The censor board needs to keep in tune with modern Indian sensibilities,” said the Times of India in an editorial, calling the move “ridiculous... in this day and age”.
Spectre, which had its release date in India delayed by a fortnight, has been given a UA rating, recommending parental guidance for children under 12 but allowing it to be shown on television.
There have been various controversies surrounding CBFC decisions since Mr Nihalani took over the post earlier this year. The erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey was banned in March, despite being edited to remove nudity and tone down sex scenes, after the board said the language was inappropriate.
Mr Nihalani, who recently released a short film praising the achievements of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been accused of pursuing a conservative moral agenda in his role.
Despite repeated calls to his office, Mr Nihalani could not be reached for comment.
The Independent