'Borbaad' gets Certification Board clearance after revisions

A sequence from Borbad of Shakib Khan

Dhaka, Mar 25 – After a series of controversies, the revised version of the much-discussed Eid release 'Borbaad' starring Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan and directed by Mehedi Hasan Hridoy, finally received an uncut clearance from the Bangladesh Film Certification Board on Tuesday.

Kazi Hayat, a member of the board and President of the Bangladesh Film Directors' Association, told the media, "We reviewed the film again this Tuesday (March 25) noon. Previously, we suggested cutting 12 minutes from the earlier version; and after the producer made the necessary revisions, we have now issued an uncut clearance."

Explaining the reasons behind the cuts, board member and film producer Zahid Hossain said, "Shakib Khan is our megastar — why would we want to stop the release of his film? When we saw the film on Monday, some scenes appeared disturbing, and the violence depicted seemed to have a potentially negative impact on society. We wanted to ensure that Shakib's image, built through films like 'Priyotoma,' remains intact and is not tarnished by a few questionable shots."

He added that apart from slowing down the credit line, the controversial shots were removed, and additional scenes were inserted to fill the gap. "The board had no objections to these changes, and the total runtime remains 2 hours and 29 minutes," Zahid said.

The censor show reportedly began at 12 pm on Tuesday. Before the screening, Shakib Khan's fans gathered in front of the board, protesting for the film's clearance.

Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding 'Borbaad' has drawn reactions from several Dhallywood stars, including Shabnam Bubly, Afran Nisho, and Siam Ahmed — all of whom have an Eid release this year. Despite their own releases, they publicly showed their support for Shakib Khan's film.

In a Facebook post, Shabnam Bubly wrote, "A lot of dreams, hard work, and effort go into making a film. Just as we want our Eid film 'Jongli' to reach audiences, we hope that films like 'Borbaad,' 'Daagi,' 'Jinn 3,' and 'Chokkor' also find their viewers. I believe all complications surrounding 'Borbaad' will be resolved, and we will get to watch it as intended."

Afran Nisho also expressed support through his Facebook story, quoting a motivational phrase: "Don't fear the clouds; the sun smiles behind them. The stronger the obstacles, the firmer our resolve should be. Let 'Borbaad' overcome all hurdles."

Referring to his own film, Nisho concluded with well wishes, writing, "Best wishes from 'Daagi.' Free 'Borbaad' instead of keeping it confined." Actress Tama Mirza, Nisho's co-star in 'Daagi', shared his story on her Facebook profile.

On Sunday (March 23), 'Jongli's lead actor Siam Ahmed also took to Facebook, expressing his frustration. "Stopping a film means burying countless dreams. I, and we, want to watch 'Borbaad' in theaters."

He also posted on Tuesday supporting the audiences and the 'Borbaad' team, writing: "Let the audience decide what they want to watch and what they don’t. Please leave that decision to them," with the hashtags '#Borbaad' and '#Uncut'. - UNB