Indian audiences will see a significantly changed version of the film ‘The Housemaid’, which will release in India in early 2026. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has ordered major changes in it, in which more than eight minutes of frontal nudity scenes have been removed from the original film. The film stars Sidney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. The film was initially released in Western countries on December 19, where it was praised for its suspenseful story and the acting of the lead actors.
Read this also: Orange Elephant Studios and Mukti Mohan present micro-film ‘How Do You Live?’- Is this the next big trend of content?
As per reports in Bollywood Hungama, the CBFC gave ‘The Housemaid’ an ‘A’ certificate after a review by its examining committee on December 4. The board demanded several changes, notably muting offensive language and removing some nudity scenes. As per the recommendations of the examining committee, words like ‘b***h’, ‘c**t’ and ‘motherf****r’ were muted. Additionally, studio partners were asked to remove ‘nudity visuals of women’s breasts whenever they appear’.
Intimate scenes involving Sydney Sweeney, including a lengthy lovemaking sequence, were completely removed for the Indian audience. Another similar sequence and a scene in which Amanda Seyfried is seen using a breast pump were also removed. However, a small shot of lead actor Brandon Schlener’s hips is present in the final version approved for Indian theatres.
Read this also: Spirit First Poster Out | First poster of Spirit released, intense look of Prabhas and Tripti Dimri revealed on New Year
The original runtime of ‘The Housemaid’ was 131 minutes and 46 seconds, but after these edits and the addition of anti-smoking advertisements, the Indian release time was reduced to 125 minutes and 46 seconds.
The story of the film is about a paroled woman who gets a job as a housemaid in the house of a rich family. As she settles into her new job, she gradually realizes that her life may be in danger, which adds another layer of suspense to the story.
Despite so many edits, the essence and genre of the film remains largely intact. “According to those who viewed the censored version”, the story and its erotic nature were largely preserved even after the objectionable content was removed.
The changes made to ‘The Housemaid’ are in line with previous decisions of the CBFC, which often orders cuts in scenes containing nudity or objectionable language in films released in Indian theatres. These interventions reflect ongoing regulatory standards regarding content that is deemed sensitive or inappropriate for national audiences.
Indian audiences who are waiting to see the film can expect a version that will be different from the international release, especially due to the absence of many intimate scenes.