Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; September 3, 2016)

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; January 14, 2016)

Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, touted as India’s first porn-com, may not turn out to be as titillating as intended to be. The Censor Board has effected 34 cuts (contrary to reports suggesting 150 cuts) in the film which is set to hit theatres next week. This, despite the makers themselves having asked for an ‘A’ certificate. We give you details of a few allegedly obscene scenes/dialogues that got the Board’s goat and were removed from the film:

Abhishek’s character was earlier called Horny Singh, but it had to be changed to Mickey Singh. Well, what will you call Mickey if he’s feeling horny? Sick-y Singh? Because if you are thinking of sex, you’ve got to be sick.

A major chunk of the song Oh Boy picturised on Tusshar Kapoor and Mandana Karimi was deleted, since the board felt that a few hand movements resembled the act of masturbation. Oh boy, why don’t we just ban masturbation!

A 30-second orgasmic scene featuring Gizele Thakral was cut down to eight seconds. After all, why should girls have so much fun?

In one of the spoofs, Giselle refers to the 1960 classic Mughal-E-Azam as Mughal-E-Orgasm. But the makers were asked to delete the word ‘orgasm’

Now, listen to this: Tusshar Kapoor is seen dressed up as Devil à la and the film was called Dick. The Censor Board got it changed to Lick. That makes it so much better, doesn't it?

Mandana's dialogue "Tum mere andar ho" (You are inside me) was changed to a vague "Tum mere yahaan ho" (you are here with me). And then a shimmy act in which one of the girls shakes her breasts was reduced.

Bollywood has finally come of age and is promoting their adult flicks unbashedly and without a pretense. We take a look at what makes filmmakers more in-your-face today
MID-DAY (January 3, 2016)

There is no denying that Bollywood has evolved over a period of time. Filmmakers are no longer being coy about promoting their adult flicks under the guise of thrillers and comedies, but are openly marketing the genre, as they seem to be getting more and more comfortable with the idea.

The first half of 2016 will see three sex comedies, 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3', 'Mastizaade' and 'Great Grand Masti', making their way to theatres. The trailers of 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3' and 'Mastizaade', which released recently, have already created a buzz among the audience and, in a one-of-its-kind move, the former is being called the first porn-com in India. So, what makes the makers more in- your-face today?

Being accepted
The reason why films relying heavily on sexual content are doing well at the box-office is that the audience is open to all genre of films today. Says trade analyst Akshaye Rathi, "Sex comedies in India are getting bolder and audience is showing interest in the genre. Many sex comedies are popular in the international market, but in India the market has grown in the past five years. According to me, the genre will enjoy its moment for a while in the country. As far as introducing the word porn-com is concerned, I think it’s a great marketing gimmick. It is a brave and smart decision."

While the audience is accepting the genre, it can also be said that an increasing number of producers are backing sex comedies as well.

Gizele Thakral, who features in Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 says, "Producers backing sex comedies is a testimony to the genre being accepted by Indian audiences. Box-office collections also show that if you have a good story, making sex comedies is no longer a risky affair. Also, calling Kya Kool… a porn-com is a genius stroke by Ekta (Kapoor). It will arouse curiosity and audience will be more interested in watching the film."

Important to have fun
Actors such as Aftab Shivdasani and Vir Das who have starred in films with heavy sexual content feel that it is high time people stopped considering sex as taboo and had fun with it instead. "We are a country of over a billion people. We didn’t get to that number through telepathy. Someone somewhere is having sex. We might as well have a sense of humour about it and have some fun with it," says Das, who stars in the upcoming 'Mastizaade'.

Aftab Shivdasani, who will be seen in 'Kya Kool Hain Hum 3' and 'Great Grand Masti', seconds Das’s opinion and says, "I believe that it is important to have a sense of humour. There are a few sensitive issues which should be dealt in a particular manner, but there are some issues which should be dealt with humorously/lightly. I know for a fact that a lot of people criticise such films, but secretly enjoy watching it. I am not hypocrite, if I choose to be a part of an adult film, I will have to use my sense of humour accordingly. We should be open-minded."

The other side
It’s a fact that films revolving around adult content make a lot of money at the box office but on the other hand, the returns on satellite are very low due to censor issues.

Says Komal Nahta, "The market for sex comedies in India is growing but the films’ success depends only on the box office collection since there is hardly any return on satellite. This genre is not for satellite television. So producers have to ensure that the film is rightly budgeted properly."

Rangita Nandy, producer, PNC, opines that films with adult content were always popular, but Bollywood has given them a stepchild treatment. She says, "Films with adult content have always been popular in India, but yes, despite their success, Bollywood has always treated them like stepchildren. Actors, even banners, have shied away from the genre. But through the years, the numbers on the genre have only exploded. This means, like it or not, these movies have a thriving, flourishing and expanding audience. And that has its respect amongst the business community of Bollywood. Every change that enhances box office collections are welcome. And really, these are adult themed movies for an adult audience and for the large part, we are adults". Rangita adds, "So where’s the taboo? But I guess, the taboo associated with the genre will remain till respectable, A-grade actors sign on board like in Hollywood with films like Hangover 1-2-3, Wedding Crashers, etc. Until then the genre will be celebrated as a super money spinning machine. No harm or taboo in that."

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; December 29, 2015)

Gizele Thakral who was evicted from the Bigg Boss 9 house recently is disappointed that she did not get good number of votes to stay back. “There are so many other contestants who are weak and haven’t given any content, but I guess because I don’t have many fans, I did not get votes,” says Gizele. The model-turned-actress who will be seen in two upcoming sex comedies has shared screen space with Mandana Karimi in one film. And, yet the two had a lot of fights in the house. “That’s because Mandana is egotistic and can be easily manipulated. Priya (Malik) told her that I had an agenda and that is why I wanted to be friends with her, which Mandana believed. I realised that she was possessive because as soon as I stopped talking with Priya, she was good to me,” says Gizele. Nevertheless she is grateful to Mandana, who she says, was the only who helped her when she injured her leg. Ask her if she has sorted out things with Mandana and she quips, “It’s very difficult to do that because she is stubborn, but that’s her nature and I don’t blame her.”

When in the house, she was mercilessly teased for her fuller lips even by host Salman Khan. Did that make her conscious? “No, because I have been facing it since my school days as I am half-Portuguese and half-Malayalee. As for Salman even if he gives gaalis, mujhe accha lagta hai. When Shah Rukh Khan came on the show, Salman told him about my lips and both were talking about it, which is great. Salman has made my lips famous,” smiles Gizele who is now looking forward to the release of her upcoming films.