The year’s most praised horror film has arrived in Indian theatres, but not in its complete form. Curry Barker‘s psychological horror movie Obsession hit screens on May 29, and audiences quickly discovered that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) removed 38 seconds of key footage. This happened even though the movie received an ‘A’ (Adult) certificate, which is supposed to mean only adults can watch it.
The film currently holds the title of the highest-rated horror movie of 2026 on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet Indian viewers are watching a version where important scenes have been trimmed or removed entirely.
What the CBFC Cut From ‘Obsession’
The CBFC’s official certificate for Obsession shows the final runtime at 1 hour, 50 minutes and 29 seconds (110.29 minutes) . The board listed three major changes that were made before approval.
A 24-second scene showing extreme violence was reduced. A 14-second scene with graphic sexual activity was completely deleted. The board also asked the makers to replace a visual that showed nudity with something else . These three changes add up to the 38 seconds of removed footage.
The CBFC also added anti-smoking and anti-tobacco health messages and placed anti-liquor warnings on certain scenes, which is standard practice for most films released in India.
The certificate was handed over to the makers on May 4, clearing the film for its theatrical release.
Viewers Question the Point of an ‘A’ Certificate
The censorship decisions have left many horror fans confused and angry. The main question people are asking is simple: if a movie is certified for adults only, why are adult scenes being cut out?
An X user who watched the film in Kerala wrote, “The Censor board sucks @CBFC_India. Just Watched Obsession from Cinepolis, Kerala. Due to substantiate cuts on violence & a sex scene (mind you – for an A rated movie!), major part of the plot was missed.”
Another person on X expressed similar frustration: “What’s Wrong with CBFC. CBFC have trimmed 38 Seconds of Footage from Obsession, and given it an ‘A’ Certificate. What’s the point of giving ‘A’ certificate if you have to trim and mute the sequences. First with superman then with Dhurandhar franchise and now with Obsession. CBFC considers ADULTS Immature enough, that they can’t watch Horror in a Jam packed theatre, Too much interference.”
On Instagram, one user commented, “i have stopped going to the movies and stopped spending on OTT subscriptions because of this very reason.” Another wrote, “So there are things that even Adults cannot watch ? Then who qualifies to be able to watch these scenes? Aliens?”
Many pointed out that the removed scenes were not random. They were central to the story. “They censored the whole point of the movie?” one Instagram user noted.
What ‘Obsession’ Is About
For those who have not seen the film yet, Obsession tells the story of a hopeless romantic named Bear, played by Michael Johnston. He breaks a mysterious object called the ‘One Wish Willow’ to win over his crush, Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette.
He gets exactly what he wished for. But the wish comes with a dark and sinister cost. The film shows how some desires lead to horrifying results that the main character never expected.
The cast also includes Cooper Tomlinson and Andy Richter.
‘Obsession’ Has Been a Massive Box Office Success
Obsession first released internationally on May 15. The movie was made on a budget of less than USD 1 million. Within just a few weeks, it has earned over USD 75 million worldwide. Reports say the second week brought in even more money than the first.
The film has become one of the biggest independent horror success stories of 2026. The strong word-of-mouth and critical praise helped it grow steadily since its release.
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This Is Not the First Time CBFC Has Cut Horror Films
The CBFC has a history of asking for cuts in horror and adult-oriented films. Earlier in 2026, Akshay Kumar‘s horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla received a U/A 16+ certificate after the board ordered multiple changes. The makers had to replace obscene words, remove a denigrating reference to women, and add disclaimers for religious content. The film’s runtime was cut by over 10 minutes, with 63 scenes trimmed.
In January 2026, Prabhas‘ pan-India horror comedy The Raja Saab also faced edits. The CBFC asked for a 35-second scene showing blood to be changed to black and white, and a 4-second beheading shot was removed entirely.
The repeated cuts to horror films have made many fans question whether the certification system needs a serious review.
Where You Can Watch ‘Obsession’
Obsession is now playing in theatres across India. The film had paid previews starting 6:00 PM on May 28, followed by the full release on May 29. International audiences in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia can also find the film playing in select theatres, with digital release details expected in the coming weeks.
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