Movies Talk: 6 Banned movies in India that you can stream online

Censorship has always prevailed in India. Be it the censorship of the press, or censorship of the movies, it still exists in India. When it comes to censorship of movies, there's a censor board of India that approves the movie before its release date. It suggests some cuts if required, then gives the movie an appropriate rating as per its content. However, in some cases, the Censor Board of Film Certification India (CBFC) has also banned some powerful movies.

Films that spoke about sexuality, religion or explored a topic of taboo, were quickly stripped off their theatre release. However, thanks to the strong presence of digital media, some movies can now be streamed online.

Here is the list of some of the best films that are banned by CBFC, but are available on multiple streaming channels like Netflix, YouTube, Hotstar, etc. 

 

Unfreedom:

The trailer if this movie was sharp, unapologetic and powerful. However, it was banned for more than one reason. It was banned since the story revolved around a lesbian couple and also has a terrorism angle to it. However, you can watch this movie on Netflix now. 

Fire:

In today's time, some people are still uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality and back then it was worse than this. Hence, it was difficult for Fire to survive in the time that it was released (1996). The movie was denied approval for release by the censor board since it was based on again sensitive topics like homosexuality and religion. But, the film was received everywhere else and received multiple accolades too. You can watch this one on Netflix. 

Water:

The movie starring John Abraham and Nandita Das was directed by Deepa Mehta. The story revolved around the life of a Banarasi widow, how she’s ill-treated for no fault of hers and also finds love, which again is considered a big NO in some rural parts of India. Due to this subject, the shooting of the film was banned following a protest by Hindu fundamentalists. However, the movie is available on YouTube and you can watch it there. 

Loev:

This movie talks about the life of a gay couple and was released back in 2015, but only on Netflix. The makers of the film tried to release it in theatres, but nothing worked in their favour. The film talks about the budding romance of two friends who are now in totally different phases of life.

Black Friday:

This again is a must-watch movie. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, this movie received appreciation from critics around the world but was banned from being released in India. The film is based on the 1995 blasts and its investigation. It never released on the big screen, but you can watch it on Hotstar now. 

Inshallah, Football:

The subject of the movie didn't play a key role in this case, but its release date did. This story revolves around a Kashmiri boy who is refused the chance for international football training as his father was a servant in the Indian Military. However, you can watch it on YouTube.

With weekends round the corner, you should definitely binge watch these movies.