Kennedy Censorship: Why the CBFC Replaced Real-World Names in Anurag Kashyap’s Thriller

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Anurag Kashyap’s new thriller, Kennedy, is finally set to premiere on the Indian streaming service Zee5. The movie traveled to film festivals around the world for three years before this release.

However, the version for Indian viewers has many changes. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) gave the film an ‘A’ rating only after certain names were removed. The creators had to change the name of former US President Donald Trump to ‘Pump Trump.’ They also replaced the name of the criminal Dawood Ibrahim with the title ‘Pakistan Don.’

A Direct Hit on Real-World Authenticity

The changes to Kennedy are more than just simple word swaps. They show a new trend where the CBFC edits movies to avoid trouble. The board ordered the muting of a specific swear word in both the sound and the subtitles. They also cut a 14-second scene as they felt the dialogue was disrespectful. The board also removed all visual mentions of Dawood Ibrahim to follow their strict rules.

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The movie now has a total length of 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 54 seconds. This includes the new cuts and required health warnings about smoking. For a director like Kashyap, these changes are a big deal. He is famous for making movies that feel very real and gritty. By changing these names, the board has altered how the story connects to the real world. Many film experts believe this type of editing changes the soul of the movie.

What These CBFC Changes Mean for Filmmakers

The ‘funny’ name changes actually hide a much bigger problem for the movie industry. These mandatory changes create a large financial burden for independent filmmakers. When a movie like Kennedy is delayed for years, the producers lose a lot of money. They have to pay back loans and deal with rising costs. Changing names like ‘Trump’ or ‘Dawood’ requires a lot of extra work.

The actors must go back into the studio to record new lines. The editors must change the subtitles and fix the video frames. These steps are very expensive and time-consuming. Owing to these hurdles, many directors are now choosing to skip theaters and go straight to the internet. This creates a gap between what the world sees and what Indians see.

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"The board has effectively become the establishment's instrument to create pressure on filmmakers and force them to censor their works," notes a report by New Lines Magazine, highlighting that the fear of non-certification often leads to self-censorship even before a script is finished.

The arrival of Kennedy on February 20, 2026, is a major event for Anurag Kashyap. He can still showcase his work to the public despite the obstacles. However, the edits suggest that creating realistic films in India is becoming more difficult.