Akshay Kumar-led Khel Khel Mein was recently released in theatres worldwide but with an extra layer of censorship in the UAE. This has led to a lot of confusion among fans there as they claim that important parts of this comedy have been chopped off including Fardeen Khan’s sexuality sequence. One fan told Mid-day, “I was looking forward to seeing this film because of its progressive storyline. These are stories we need to see more of, not less.”
Another fan from Dubai added that the edit made by the UAE Media Regulatory Office changed the narrative of Fardeen’s character. “It’s disheartening to see such an important moment erased. I felt cheated when I found out from Indian cine-goers about this. Censorship like this denies audiences the full experience of the film’s powerful message,” the fan expressed.
Several reports suggest that not just Fardeen Khan’s sexuality arc around the climax but also major chunks weaving the story have been chopped off by local authorities. Strangely, dialogues as normal as, “Meri 10 saal ki beti ki soch aapki soch se behtar hai,” have also been chopped off.
The portal reached out to the movie’s director Mudassar Aziz over questions about the censorship, he said, “While it’s heartbreaking to see that something so relevant, and done with so much dignity, found its way out of the UAE release, I’m thrilled at the applause that [the rest] of the world is sending my way for those very scenes.”
Fardeen Khan on the other hand shared that through his Khel Khel Mein role, he hopes to contribute to a necessary and relevant conversation. “While edits may have been made, the intention behind the role—that of acceptance—remains unchanged, and I stand by the message’s importance,” Khan asserted.
Khel Khel Mein revolves around seven friends whose secrets get unveiled over a game night and also stars Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Ammy Virk, Pragya Jaiswal, and Aditya Seal. Also because this comedy marks Fardeen’s return to the big screen after 14 years, UAE fans are more than sad to know about his major scenes getting chopped off. The movie is running in theatres currently.
ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar on Khel Khel Mein’s clash with ‘good friend’ John Abraham’s Vedaa: ‘Not a slash’
