Court clears Bollywood drug film for release with just 1 cut

A Bollywood movie about drug abuse in India's northern state of Punjab can be released in theaters across the country with one potentially offensive scene removed, rather than the many cuts sought by censors, a court ruled Monday.

The decision was being hailed by the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai as a victory for the creative arts and the fundamental rights of filmmakers.

Bollywood filmmaker challenges censoring of drug-abuse film

A Bollywood film producer took his row with India's censor board to a court Wednesday, challenging dozens of cuts and changes to a film that depicts the menace of drug abuse in the northern state of Punjab.

Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalini said in a newspaper interview that the movie wrongly depicts 70 percent of people of the state consuming drugs and defaming them. He told reporters that the censor board has approved the movie for screening in theaters with the cuts ordered.