Eight-second sequence in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' found inappropriate for children, distributors insisted on UA13+ rating: Sources on CBFC certification
New Delhi, July 29
The certification process for theatre release of 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' has been in accordance with the Cinematograph Act and Rules and censorship related news reports are misleading, sources said on Wednesday, noting that film's distributors had themselves sought a UA 13+ certification for the Hollywood superhero film, which is scheduled to release in Indian cinemas on Thursday.
Sources said an eight-second sequence found to be a titillating sensual act was excised and a separate three-second sequence that was not found to be titillating was permitted.
They said the film contained an eight-second sequence that was found to be a titillating sensual act being performed on Public Transport.
"In compliance with the Cinematograph Act and Rules, this eight-second was found to be inappropriate for children below the age of 13 and was excised," a source said.
The sources said that reports in sections of media have presented a distorted view of the certification process due to a lack of understanding of the significance of age markers in Film Certification
Reports in sections of the media claimed that the CBFC had censored a kissing scene from the film. Sources maintained that such reports overlook the significance of age-based classifications under India's film certification framework.
They said that all theatres are required to display both parts of the Film Certificate for perusal by any citizen and Part II of the certificate has full details of excisions which can be accessed by any citizen on request at the theatres.
Media reports claiming suppression of such information are false and misleading, the sources said, adding that there is an attempt at sensationalism in the misleading reports that is not helpful to families and parents in making meaningful entertainment choices.
Media must focus on informing families and parents on age appropriateness of content rather than raising the false bogey of censorship, the sources said.
Earlier, the CBFC granted 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' a UA 13+ certificate with three modifications, including the removal of the eight-second sequence, muting and removing strong and objectionable language from the English audio and subtitle tracks, and the addition of a static anti-liquor health warning during scenes depicting alcohol consumption.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day', starring Tom Holland, is set to arrive in Indian cinemas a day ahead of several international markets. While the highly anticipated superhero film is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on July 31, audiences in India will be able to catch the web-slinger's latest adventure on July 30, announced Sony Pictures.
"India, get ready to swing first. #SpiderManBrandNewDay arrives a day early in theatres on July 30, 2026, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada," Sony wrote on Instagram.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' marks the latest instalment in Sony and Marvel's immensely successful Spider-Man franchise.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm from the US and I find this a bit excessive. Eight seconds of a kissing scene? Really? That's the hill they want to die on? But I respect India's cultural norms. At least they gave the distributors a choice and didn't ban the film. Just seems like a lot of fuss over nothing.
Look, I'm all for age-appropriate content, but the CBFC's approach is often too conservative. 'Titillating sensual act on public transport' – come on, it's a Spider-Man film, not an adult movie. Let parents decide what their kids watch. The anti-liquor warning is unnecessary as well. We're not children.
I appreciate that India gets the film a day early! That's a treat for fans. As for the cuts, it's a UA 13+ rating, which means it's suitable for teens. I don't see the big issue. The CBFC explained it clearly. People just want to create controversy. I'm excited to watch it in Tamil! 🕷️🎬
As an expat living in India, I've learned to appreciate the CBFC's consistency. In the West, we have PG-13 ratings, but here they're more specific about what's cut. It's not censorship, it's classification. The media is making it sound like a huge deal when it's just a few seconds removed. Pretty standard stuff.
I don't understand why we still have this debate. The distributors themselves asked for UA 13+. They knew what they were doing. If they wanted an uncut version, they
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