This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

'Independence Day: Resurgence' Makers Were Asked To Avoid 'Destroying' Indian Monuments

'Independence Day: Resurgence' Makers Were Asked To Avoid 'Destroying' Indian Monuments
20th Century Fox/YouTube

Hollywood lovers across the world have doubtless watched Roland Emmerich's 1996 alien invasion film Independence Day, which starred Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman.

The smash hit, which won an Oscar for its groundbreaking visual effects, had shown the effects of a worldwide alien attack by inserting obligatory scenes that showed its destructive effects in various countries (although the film was notably America-centric; it even showed the White House getting blown to smithereens). In the upcoming sequel Independence Day: Resurgence, starring Liam Hemsworth along with original cast members Goldblum and Pullman, London and Singapore are shown to have been pulverised by an alien attack, while Kuala Lampur's Petronas towers and Dubai's Burj Khalifa have been reduced to rubble.

Mumbai's Gateway of India was one of the landmarks that was supposed to have been destroyed by this new, advanced lot of aliens. However, according to a Mumbai Mirror report published on Monday, 20th Century Fox, the film's producers, wanted to take no chances with Indian viewers. An unnamed source from the studio was quoted as saying: "Well, Indians are too touchy. Keeping the sensitivities of all the religious groups and other activists in mind, the makers were asked not to shoot in India or portray any prominent monuments being damaged."

Fox Star Studios, the Indian subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, confirmed the news.

In August last year, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC, commonly referred to as the Censor Board) had asked the distributors of Adam Sandler starrer Pixels (2015) to axe a scene that showed the Taj Mahal being destroyed.

Great job, us. If only they handed out Olympic medals for taking offence.

Independence Day: Resurgence releases in theatres worldwide on Friday, June 24.

Also see on HuffPost:

Kung Fu Panda 3

Kids' Movies We Can't Wait To See In 2016

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.