The much-anticipated film ‘Fighter’, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, is all set to hit the big screens soon. However, there seems to be a setback for the movie as it has failed to clear the censor board in all Gulf countries except for the UAE. According to reports, the film was denied release in the Middle East countries after it failed to get clearance from GCC Censors during its January 10 screening. The reason behind the censorship denial has not been disclosed, but it is speculated that the board may have found certain scenes in the film disturbing or objectionable. This development could potentially result in a loss of business amounting to around Rs 500k to 1 million for the makers of the film.
Despite the roadblock in the Gulf countries, the team of ‘Fighter’ is carrying out promotional activities for the film. Recently, Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor visited the Pune Air Force Station to present letters of gratitude to the Indian Air Force as part of their #ThankYouFighter campaign. The initiative, which aimed to collect letters expressing gratitude to the nation’s heroes, received an overwhelming response with 250,000 handwritten letters and 1.5 million online letters from across the country.
Notably, ‘Fighter’ has been filmed at real locations with the assistance of IAF personnel using combat jets and helicopters, adding to the overall authenticity of the action-packed movie. The film features thrilling operational scenes filmed at the Air Force Station in Tezpur, the Air Force Academy in Dindigul, Andhra Pradesh, and at the Air Force Station in Pune.
While the film’s denial in Gulf countries comes as a setback, the promotional events and the overwhelming response to the #ThankYouFighter initiative indicate the high level of excitement and anticipation for the release of the movie. It is evident that the film has managed to strike a chord with the audience, and despite the censorship roadblock, the enthusiasm for ‘Fighter’ remains undeterred. With the film’s unique selling points, including the participation of the Indian Air Force and the star-studded cast, it is expected to overcome the challenges and make a mark at the box office.