'Anora' director Sean Baker avoids theatrical release in India fearing CBFC's extensive cuts

Anora won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival

Ever since Anora won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May, a section of the Indian audience has been waiting to watch director Sean Baker's dark comedy. While the Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein-starrer was initially slated to release in India on November 8, the suits at Universal Pictures India changed their mind and are now planning to make it available on video-on-demand later this month. What exactly brought on the change in plans?

Not a censorship row, as was initially speculated. Sources tell us that the studio did not submit Anora to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) at all, fearing that the body would hand out extensive cuts to the movie. Since the CBFC certificate is a legal requirement for theatrical releases in India, the makers decided to forgo the big-screen route, instead opting for a digital release.

Sean Baker

In Anora, Baker - who, in the past, helmed the acclaimed The Florida Project (2017) - tells the story of a 23-year-old sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes a dramatic turn when she marries the son of a wealthy oligarch in Russia. However, her happiness is threatened when the groom's parents head to New York to annul the marriage. Apparently, the top brass of Universal Pictures India felt that the film's intense themes and provocative storytelling would be a hurdle in getting the censor board's nod. An insider from the studio revealed, "The decision to pull Anora from theatrical release was made proactively, anticipating that the film's bold content could face resistance from the CBFC. There is a lot of nudity in the film, and cuts or edits would have compromised how the director wanted to tackle certain societal themes. We did not want to dilute the story in any way." The team was confident that a video-on-demand release would allow them to honour Baker's creative vision.

Meanwhile, sources within the CBFC noted that Anora was not submitted for certification. One of the censor board's members stated, "We were not approached with a certification request. The CBFC aims to work closely with filmmakers to achieve a balance between creative expression and regulatory guidelines. It's unfortunate if a release was delayed due to assumptions about our process."

While the dark comedy, which hit the US theatres last month, is headed for a Hulu release worldwide by November-end, Lionsgate is likely to be its home in India. Another source noted, "It will be available as a pay-per-view offering. But if it is to stream on JioCinema because of the Hulu-Hotstar partnership, the film will be delayed further in India."