A still from ‘Thunderbolts’
| Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
Marvel’s upcoming superhero film Thunderboltshas been cleared for release in India with a UA 13+ certificate, but not without changes. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) directed the makers to mute several swear words to secure the rating without pushing the film into an ‘A’ certificate category.
The CBFC asked Star Studios, the film’s distributor in India, to remove or mute the words “ass,” “a-hole,” “d**k,” “b***h,” and “prick.” Interestingly, “prick” is generally not considered a strong expletive, making its inclusion among the muted terms a point of debate.
Sources revealed that Star Studios discussed contesting the cuts but decided against it to avoid the film being rated ‘A’, which would have significantly narrowed its teenage fan base and hurt its satellite and digital licensing potential.
In contrast, Thunderbolts reportedly received similar certifications in the U.S. and U.K. without any cuts or muting of language. However, the CBFC’s intervention was limited to audio changes — no visual cuts were mandated, meaning the film’s action sequences remain intact.
The censor certificate for Thunderbolts was issued on April 23, with a final runtime of 127 minutes (2 hours and 7 minutes).
Starring Florence Pugh and part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts is eagerly anticipated by fans worldwide. Thunderbolts is set to release soon in India, albeit with a slightly “cleaner” audio track for audiences under 18.
Published – April 28, 2025 10:50 am IST