Censorship of hijab-burning in Mohammad Rasoulof’s 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' sparks debate

A still from the film

At the onset, the edits demanded by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's political thriller, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, may seem superficial - standard disclaimers relating to the use of cigarettes, and the addition of subtitles. However, a particular demand has not gone down well with all social media users. The Board has excised scenes depicting hijab-burning, a move that has sparked debate among cinephiles because the act was widely considered a symbol of resistance in Iran's ‘Woman, Life, Freedom' movement.

Mohammad Rasoulof

An insider close to the Indian distribution team told mid-day, "We anticipated little resistance because the scenes must be viewed in the right context. The removal of the scenes is disappointing. Those moments are central to the story, symbolising the spirit of rebellion that the film seeks to highlight. Given the current climate, the CBFC was cautious about potential backlash, but cutting the scenes will feel like a compromise on artistic integrity."

Shot under secrecy in Iran, the film has achieved global acclaim, winning awards at Cannes and other major festivals. Producer Jean-Christophe Simon recounted the perilous journey of bringing the project to life. "Shooting [the film] felt like a thriller. There were moments when crew members had to pretend that they were working on an entirely different film, just to evade authorities," he told Screen Daily.

While the Indian censor's decision is being seen by some as a pragmatic step in keeping with the political climate, others worry it will dilute the film's impact. A team member involved in the post-production work called the demand "ironic", further highlighting the changes demanded by the Board. "The story is about a judge navigating a system of control; yet the film itself faces censorship at every turn. It's a reminder of how relevant the message is. The standard smoking disclaimers are strewn throughout the film. They deleted the word bast''d from the English subtitles. And, nearly two minutes of the film's scenes have been tweaked," the source laments.