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Subhash K Jha (DNA; August 1, 2016)

Hrithik Roshan kisses his co-star Pooja Hegde three times in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro. And each kiss more passionate than the other, has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification (aka the Censor Board) as it was shot.

This is a welcome change after Daniel Craig and Ranbir Kapoor’s kisses with their respective co-stars in Spectre and Tamasha respectively, were ruthlessly snipped off to a more ‘acceptable’ length. More recently, Randeep Hooda and Kajal Aggarwal’s kiss in Do Lafzon Ki Kahani was reduced by nine seconds.

Hrithik, it seems, was exempted fron censorial intervention. Says a Board member on condition of anonymity. “The three kisses in Mohenjo Daro have been left untampered. The film has been passed without a single verbal or visual cut, with a U/A certificate.”

Responding to the all-clear from the Board, Hrithik says, “I wasn’t expecting any cuts, to be honest. But I am glad nevertheless. As for the kisses being left intact, I guess they came across as they were meant to, as manifestations of pure love. Vulgarity is always in the intention and expression. And we never went that way.”