The buzz around Pawan Kalyan’s latest flick, “They Call Him OG,” is absolutely wild right now. Ever since the trailer dropped, fans have been on the edge of their seats. They are eagerly counting down the days to its big release. But the film is now making headlines for another reason entirely. It just snagged an ‘A’ certificate from the Censor Board.
Now, this isn’t just any rating. It marks the first time in 14 years that a Pawan Kalyan film has received this mature classification. Talk about a comeback! This ‘A’ certificate has truly put “OG” back in the spotlight. Everyone is wondering just how intense this movie will be.
Pawan Kalyan’s ‘A’ Rated Comeback
It turns out, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) didn’t give out that ‘A’ rating without a few conditions. Director Sujeeth’s vision for “They Call Him OG” went through some serious trimming. The board asked for roughly two minutes of footage to be cut. Other scenes needed tweaking. For some perspective, the last time a Pawan Kalyan film got an ‘A’ certificate was “Panjaa.” That was way back in 2011. So, this isn’t a common occurrence for the Power Star.
The Censor Board’s Close Watch
The censor scissors worked overtime on “OG.” They targeted at least seven different scenes. Imagine this: close-ups of a hand being cut, a head being severed, and a quick hammer blow were all removed. Even a moment of neck stitching got the chop. There was also a minute-long sequence of violence in a lodge. Nine seconds of close-up shots from that were cut. In total, 1 minute and 55 seconds of raw footage hit the cutting room floor. Even a scene showing a blood-soaked child needed editing. Another scene with a police officer adjusting his pants was also tweaked.
After all that intense editing, the film’s final runtime clocks in at a tight 2 hours and 34 minutes. The filmmakers also got a gentle nudge. They must include a voiceover disclaimer about drug awareness at the start. Plus, a statutory warning about smoking now appears prominently. This ensures everyone is clear on the messaging.
Ready for the Big Screen
But fear not, fans! Despite the tweaks, “They Call Him OG” is still set to hit cinemas on September 25. This multi-language spectacle will be available in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. Before its official release, audiences in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will get a special treat: early premieres! In Telangana, these special showings kick off at 9 PM the day before. Tickets for all theaters will go for 800 rupees. Pawan Kalyan leads a star-studded cast including Emraan Hashmi, Priyanka Mohan, Arjun Das, and Prakash Raj in this much-anticipated movie.