Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson starrer Verity has received an ‘A’ certificate in India after the Central Board of Film Certification ordered cuts totalling 23 seconds from intimate scenes.
The film, directed by Michael Showalter, was cleared by the CBFC on September 29, ahead of its October 2 theatrical release.
According to Bollywood Hungama, the Examining Committee asked the makers to modify certain intimate visuals and remove explicit portions.
Most of the cuts reportedly involve a much-discussed make-out sequence featuring Hathaway and Johnson.
The board also mandated anti-smoking and anti-alcohol static warnings where required, removed an e-cigarette visual and instructed the makers to blur a medicine brand name.
The psychological thriller has a final runtime of 118 minutes and 41 seconds, with paid previews scheduled for October 1. Based on Colleen Hoover’s 2018 novel, the story follows struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, played by Johnson, who is hired to complete injured author Verity Crawford’s book series. Her stay with the Crawford family becomes disturbing after she finds a hidden manuscript revealing shocking details about Verity’s past. Josh Hartnett also stars.
