The Central Board of Film Certification has asked for notable cuts in the much-awaited spy action thriller WAR 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR, ahead of its release on August 14, 2025. The board instructed Yash Raj Films to remove certain audio and visual elements that were considered inappropriate. These included muting six so-called “inappropriate references,” replacing an obscene dialogue with one acceptable to the board, and deleting a two-second gesture by one of the characters.
One of the most debated changes is the 9-second reduction of sensual visuals from the song Aavan Jaavan, which had already been released as a promotional track. Featuring Kiara Advani in a bikini, the song attracted significant buzz online after appearing in the trailer and teasers. The original film had a runtime close to three hours and was cleared with a U/A (16+) certificate on August 6, 2025. However, the makers voluntarily trimmed around eight minutes to make the film tighter and more engaging.
The Hindi version now runs for 2 hours and 53 minutes, while the Tamil and Telugu versions are slightly shorter at 2 hours and 51 minutes. The film is also expected to include post-credit scenes with cameo appearances by stars who are set to join YRF’s growing spy universe. After these adjustments, the Revising Committee approved the final cut.
While the changes were handled without conflict by the production team, many fans have criticised the CBFC for imposing cuts that they feel compromise the creative vision. Several argue that the board underestimates audience maturity, especially when viewers are already exposed to global content with bolder themes. WAR 2 is a mainstream action film, making it unlikely that the filmmakers would add anything explicit without relevance to the plot.
This raises the question of why the CBFC continues to interfere with such changes, even when they do not affect the story. While certain edits can be justified in rare cases, such restrictions risk stifling creativity in Indian cinema and overlook the shifting cultural attitudes towards the portrayal of sensuality on screen.
