The CBFC or the Censor Board of Film Certification, has asked for not less than eleven cuts in Neeraj Ghaywan’s feature film Homebound which has been selected as the official Indian entry to the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Category for the Oscars for 2026.

Internationally renowned filmmaker Martin Scorcese is executive producer of the film. Though the film has just got a theatrical release on September 26, 2025, it went through a hobbling journey through the CBFC when selected for the Academy Award. The film has already bagged several awards at the international scene. It was premiered in the Un Certain Regard Section in Cannes 2025. The film also won the Best Film and the Best Director Awards at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (2025 and the second runner-up with the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, 2025.

‘Homebound’ according to a recent report on an online magazine, was referred to the Revising Committee (RC). Reportedly, the reason could be the Examining Committee asking for several cuts. Following this, modifications were dictated by the Revising Committee. Certain words have been muted and replaced at 6 places, including ‘gyan’. The makers have been asked to delete the dialogue ‘Aloo gobhi…khaate hai’. Further, a two-second visual of a man performing puja was censored. The Revising Committee also made changes in a dialogue in an important cricket match scene at 1 hour and 4 minutes, deleting 32 seconds from the sequence. However, further details of the deleted scenes were not disclosed. In a nutshell, the CBFC’s RC censored 1 minute and 17 seconds from the film. Following the changes, the film was given a U/A 16 certificate on September 12.

The Central Board of Film Certification earlier called The Censor Board, is appointed by the state, at the regional level and at the central level. It is a quasi-judicial body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Censorship is a legacy the British left behind whose aim then, was to prevent showing anything anti-British in Indian films. A set of guidelines was provided in The Cinematograph Act 1952. The Board is authorized to certify films that do not violate any of these guidelines.

Now, just listen to this amazing back story of the CBFC right now. Does it really exist except in name? CBFC last met six years ago on August 31, 2019 where it should have met once every quarter.

According to a Board member who wished to remain unnamed, there has been no Board meeting since August 31, 2019. No productive work has been done over these years, so, no annual report, no........

© Mathrubhumi English