By churning out tons of masterpieces every year, the Bollywood industry has managed to successfully corner the global cinema scene. The stamp left by the Bollywood industry is visible to every cinema lover out there. With so many accomplishments, it is hard to believe that there are some countries that have banned a number of Bollywood movies from screening. Some were banned due to supposed obscenity while some were denied screening for being too progressive. Here we bring you a list of the top 10 Bollywood movies that are banned in foreign countries.
1. The Kashmir files (Singapore): The cult classic helmed by Vivek Agnihotri recently got banned in Singapore amid the controversies stirred by the movie. Giving the reason for the ban, the censor board said “its provocative and one-sided portrayal of Muslims”. The government found the film had the potential to cause enmity between different communities and disrupt social cohesion and religious harmony”.
2. Bell Bottom (UAE): Starring Akshay Kumar in lead, Bell Bottom got banned from screening in the USA. The movie portraying a vicious mission executed by an Indian secret agent was accused of tampering with the facts and was thus banned in three Gulf countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
3. Neerja: Based on the real-life story of air hostess Neerja Bhanot, Neerja witnessed the career-defining actor of Sonam Kapoor, but sadly the movie got banned in Pakistan. The movie got in banned in Pakistan for showing the neighbor nation in a bad light.
4. Dirty Picture (Qatar, Pakistan, and Kuwait): Even though the movie the status of a cult classic in the nation, the content showcased in the movie was still too bold for the audience and that was the reason why Vidhya Balan and Naseeruddin Shah starrer was not able to screen in Qatar, Pakistan and Kuwait.
5. Padmaavat (Malaysia): The story of Padmaavat was not easy to digest for the Indian audience then how can we expect the foreign audience to digest it. However, it hit a roadblock in Malaysia. The censor board didn’t clear it citing “Islamic sensitivities”.
6. Delhi Belly: Any audience of the movie will admit it publicly that the foul language and explicit scene showed in the money were too bold to consume. and this was the reason that Nepal didn’t find it suitable for a theatrical release in the country.
7. Fiza (Malaysia): The Hrithik Roshan and Karisma Kapoor starrer courted controversy at the time of its release on home soil and abroad. The film saw Hrithik play the role of a middle-class Muslim man who becomes a militant. This plot didn't sit too well with the Malaysian Government officials who banned the film and said in a statement, "A Muslim cannot be a terrorist."
8. Oh My God (UAE): In a nation where people believe more in what Dharam Gurus says than what is written in books, Paresh Rawal boldly asked genuine questions over religious fanaticism with his movie Oh My God but sadly the audience from UAE will not be able to see it. As the UAE censor board rejected it saying it contains sensitive religious scene that can provoke anger among the citizens.
9. Bombay (Singapore): 'Bombay' the critically acclaimed Mani Ratnam directorial will always be one of the finest films of Indian cinema. The film that centered around the events that led to the Bombay (now Mumbai) riots of 1992-1993, saw a tough time during its release. Apart from the violent incidents that took place at the time of its release in India, the film was banned by the Singapore government, citing the 'religious tensions'.
10. Baby (Pakistan): It seems like Pakistan has something with Akshay Kumar, that’s why his another movie got banned from the screen in the nation. The Pakistan censor board banned the film because it apparently showed Pakistan in poor light.
