There are times when Hindi films public outrage, legal troubles, and even a ban before they even hit the cinema. The reasons for this are many; it could be religious, cultural or considered offensive. However, it’s not just the Indian censor board that has a hold on Bollywood movies. There have been times when a film has been banned by various countries in order protect a community or to maintain harmony in the society.

Take a look at some Bollywood films that got banned in other countries:

The Kashmir Files

Centered around the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files received a lot of praise from viewers. However, the film was banned by Singapore’s censoring authority.  The film was refused classification for its ‘provocative and one-sided portrayal of Muslims’.

Bell Bottom

Released in 2021, Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom was based on a real-life plane hijacking event that happened in the 1980s. The film was banned in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait for allegedly ‘tampering with historical facts’.

Padmaavat

The film was embroiled in controversy even before it was released. While the release wasn’t easy in India, the film was banned in Malaysia over concerns regarding ‘sensitivities of Islam’. The name of the film was also changed after Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone started receiving death threats.

Padman

This Akshay Kumar film was banned in Kuwait and Pakistan as it spoke about a topic that is still considered taboo – menstruation and menstrual hygiene.

The Dirty Picture

Vidya Balan’s The Dirty Picture was a blockbuster. In the film, Reshma (Vidya Balan) leaves her village to become an actor in Chennai. She managed to become an overnight sensation. The film was denied a release in Qatar for its bold theme.

OMG

OMG (Oh My God) starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal was a 2012 release and its topic was an easy magnet for controversies. The movie sheds light on how religion and superstitions lead to chaos. Despite its huge success in India, OMG was banned in the UAE for its sensitive content.