The Indian Censor Board has banned many movies for various reasons, some for having strong language, some for featuring gender taboos, and some for being way ahead of their time. But thanks to OTT platforms, you can watch some of the banned movies online. Here are some movies banned by Censor Board and where you can watch them.
1. Black Friday | Netflix
Anurag Kashyap’s Black Friday was loosely adapted from the famous book Black Friday – The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts by S Hussain Zaidi. It was considered too dark to be released in India, but thanks to Netflix, you can now watch it online.
2. Lipstick Under My Burkha | Amazon Prime Videos
The CBFC denied certifying Lipstick Under My Burkha saying, “The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contentious sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society, hence film refused under guidelines.” It did release in India after facing several hurdles. You can watch this “lady-oriented” film online on Amazon Prime Videos.
3. Bandit Queen | Amazon Prime Videos
Bandit Queen was based on the life of Phoolan Devi due to its explicit sexual content, nudity and abusive language. It took the movie two years to finally release in the cinema halls and is now available on Amazon Prime Videos.
4. Firaaq | Amazon Prime Videos
Firaaq was reportedly based on true incidents which happened in riot-torn Gujarat in 2002. The movie was widely criticised for hurting the sentiments of Hindus and Muslims and got banned but was released later on to receive rave reviews. You can watch this Nandita Das directorial movie on Amazon Prime Videos.
5. Gandu | Netflix
Gandu was a Bengali rap musical which created a lot of buzz for its oral sex scenes and nudity. This black and white movie got banned because it ‘defied Indian sensibilities’. If you want to give this movie a watch, you can do so on Netflix.
6. Parzania | Hotstar
Another movie based on the Gujarat riots, Parzania received backlash and appreciation in equal amounts. Although the movie received a National Award, it was banned in Gujarat. This heart-touching movie is available on Hotstar.
Check Out | 15 Indian Movies That Got Banned By The Censor Board