Verity gets A certificate in India, an intimate scene gets a 23-second trim
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson's Verity has been cleared for release in India with an 'A' certificate after changes ordered by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The psychological thriller, directed by Michael Showalter, was passed on September 29 ahead of its theatrical release on October 2, 2026.
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the CBFC's Examining Committee asked the makers to “suitably modify” intimate visuals and remove explicit portions, resulting in 23 seconds being cut. The board also ordered static anti-smoking and anti-alcohol warnings wherever applicable, removed visuals of an e-cigarette, and asked the makers to blur a medicine brand name. Paid previews of the film are scheduled for October 1.
Much of the deleted footage reportedly comes from the film's much-discussed make-out sequence featuring Hathaway and Johnson. After the changes, the film's final runtime stands at 118 minutes and 41 seconds.
The certification process also involved other modifications beyond the cuts to intimate scenes. The board directed the makers to include the required health warnings in relevant scenes, remove visuals of an e-cigarette, and blur the name of a medicine brand. All you need to know about the film
Based on Colleen Hoover's 2018 novel, Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh, played by Johnson, a struggling writer hired to complete injured author Verity Crawford's bestselling series. Lowen moves into the Crawford family's remote estate to work on the unfinished books, but her stay takes a disturbing turn when she discovers a hidden manuscript containing shocking revelations about Verity's past.
The writings include unsettling confessions linked to Verity's marriage to Jeremy Crawford, played by Josh Hartnett, and events surrounding the family. As Lowen continues reading, the line between Verity's version of events and reality begins to blur.
India Today gave the film 3 stars. A part of the review read, "What we get is a glossy, sensual thriller that occasionally glimpses that film before returning to the safer pleasures of twists, secrets and beautiful people behaving badly. Luckily, Hathaway and Johnson make the detour worthwhile. They understand that the real fun of Verity lies not in figuring out who is telling the truth, but in wondering why we are so eager to believe one version over another. The film just needed to trust that question a little more."
Verity, starring Hathaway, Johnson and Hartnett, will release in Indian cinemas on October 2.- EndsALSO READ | Tom Cruise announces Days of Thunder sequel with Anne Hathaway after 38 years
