
Anurag Kashyap, no stranger to run-ins with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), has reignited his criticism — this time targeting the mandatory health disclaimers displayed during screenings of the global horror hit Sinners. Speaking to IndieWire, the filmmaker expressed his frustration with the intrusive warnings, which have left many audiences irked.
“In a mood piece such as Sinners, these disclaimers on smoking and drinking yank the audience out of the immersive experience that the filmmaker had painstakingly created, killing the mood and build-up in the process,” he said. Viewers on X and other social media platforms have also voiced complaints, calling the anti-smoking ads — played before the film and during intermission, as “arbitrary” and “disruptive.”
This isn’t the first time Anurag has clashed with the CBFC over the same issue. Nearly a decade ago, he challenged the Board’s mandate to embed smoking disclaimers into his film Ugly. Though he even took the matter to court, the case dragged on, the film was eventually leaked, and he had to release it with the disclaimers intact.
Sinners, which has become a global phenomenon, is being widely praised for its layered exploration of racism, segregation, and — as the title implies — religion, all through the lens of horror. The film has grossed $175 million worldwide so far, making it the sixth highest-grossing film of 2025. Directed by newcomers, the story follows twins Smoke and Stack as they return to their hometown in Mississippi in search of a fresh start, only to confront an ancient evil in the form of vampires. The film stars Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, and Saul Williams.
Recently, Tom Cruise also endorsed the film, urging audiences to watch it on IMAX to fully experience its scale and atmosphere.