The Eternal Battle Between Cinema and Sanskar

When it comes to Indian cinema, censorship isn't just a guideline — it's practically a co-star. The influence of India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been so strong that filmmakers have learned to either tiptoe around rules or make a complete mockery of them.

Even in so-called progressive movies like PK, we saw how controversial it still is to tackle religion openly. The film faced a full-blown #BoycottPK campaign, even while another #WeSupportPK movement rose in its defense. Censorship in India isn’t just about what you can show — it’s about which parts of society you're allowed to question at all.

Swear Words, Sex, and Other Taboo Landmines

One of the clearest examples of Indian films adapting — and trolling — censorship is Delhi Belly, a movie so outrageous for Bollywood standards that it felt like a prank on the system. The characters talked about oral sex, casual dating, and even body functions in ways you simply didn't see in mainstream Indian films. Instead of hiding it with "metaphors" or coy looks, Delhi Belly smashed the fourth wall and dared anyone to censor it — knowing that releasing a primarily English version gave them a little loophole to get away with more.

Traditionally, Bollywood sanitized love and relationships to fit the model of "sanskar" — the idea that films should uphold cultural and moral purity. That’s why for decades, you could have an entire movie about lovers... who never even kissed onscreen. Dancing in the rain? Acceptable. A peck on the lips? Scandalous.

How Filmmakers Troll the Censors

Indian filmmakers have gotten creative — and sometimes hilarious — in dealing with censorship:

• Double-meaning Dialogues: Writing "clean" dialogue that has dirty subtext for those paying attention.
• Suggestive Songs: Packing entire seduction scenes into musical numbers where nothing technically "happens."
• Character Shielding: Having "foreign" characters (especially white ones) swear, drink, or have sex — because censors are more lenient about "non-Indian" behavior.
• Self-Censorship for Impact: Some filmmakers intentionally work around rules to make their point hit harder. By NOT showing a kiss or a swear word, they force the audience to imagine it, sometimes making it even more provocative.

Movies like PK used satire to question religious orthodoxy, while others like Delhi Belly openly laughed at social taboos. Either way, every major Bollywood hit that even mildly pokes at sanskar ends up in a tug-of-war between creative freedom and cultural policing.

Censorship Today: More Sneaky Than Ever

As streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon entered the Indian market, there was a brief golden age where creators bypassed traditional censorship altogether. Shows like Made in Heaven and Sacred Games pushed boundaries on everything from swearing to LGBTQ+ stories.

But of course, sanskar fights back. New regulations are tightening around streaming too, forcing a whole new generation of filmmakers to get even sneakier. Swearing is getting beeped. Sex scenes are trimmed. Religious critiques are scrubbed out. And yet — the spirit of trolling censorship remains alive and well in Indian cinema.

Decode PK and Delhi Belly to see how Indian filmmakers have mastered the art of trolling censorship — sometimes with more creativity than the censors themselves.