How Twitter is Responding to 'Scary' Jungle Book's U/A Rating

Just when you thought the Indian censors were done messing around with the movies you most want to see, the Board has gone ahead and given Disney's 2016 update of the beloved children's classic The Jungle Book a rating of U/A. This is a rating that indicates a film contains mild violence, sensuality and/or language unsuitable for children under 12. It has provoked a certain amount of mockery online.

The reason The Jungle Book has been officially certified off-limits for a large part of the junior audience that is hoping to watch it is because chief Censor Pahlaj Nihalani thinks it's 'scary.' "The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience," he told DNA.

The conclusion is that many kids won't be able to handle Shere Khan's gaping jaws coming at them or King Louie's monstrous arm reaching out. Whether or not the Censor Board's concerns about what is essentially meant to be a children's movie are justified or no - the film has internationally been given a similar PG rating and it just means that children need to be accompanied by an adult - social media is taking Pahlaj Nihalani's decision down.

Twitter is flooded with acerbic comments, possibly reminded of when the Board slashed 50% of the kissing scenes in the James Bond film SPECTRE. Last November, bemused tweeple offered hilarious (and not to forget very sarcastic) advice to make Bond more 'sanskari' and India-friendly.

This time too, Twitter can't help but wonder if the rating is solely because the film really is 'scary' or if there are any other reasons that compelled the Board - like the animals not being clothed, maybe?

Take a look at how Twitter reacted to the U/A rating of the film below:
 

Pahlaj Nihalani gives a UA to #TheJungleBook, the quintessential kids story, citing it's too scary. When will he stop embarrassing himself?

- Vijay Venkataramanan (@7th_Samurai) April 6, 2016

Pahlaj Nihalani never fails to amuse me, he is better than any stand up comedian across the globe. Now Jungle Book us U/A because its scary!

- Prerana Malhotra (@preranamalhotra) April 7, 2016

What happened to Pahlaj Nihalani? U/A certificate to Jungle Book! Thank God it's not A. Non of the chimps, monkeys, hyenas wearing clothes.

- Pankaj Jangid (@Jangid) April 7, 2016

"Jungle Book Gets U/A Certificate Because Pahlaj Nihalani Thinks It's Too 'Scary'" Top lad.

- untitled.jpg (@AverageDikra) April 7, 2016

Jungle book gets a U/A - which means Pahlaj Nihalani cannot watch it without an adult accompanying him.

- Prem Sagar (@PremSagar) April 7, 2016

#JamesBond #JungleBook !!#PahlajNihalani sb. #censorship

- Deepak Sukhadia (@dsukhadia) April 7, 2016

#PahlajNihalani does it again, gives U/A certificate to #TheJungleBook . Just can't stop laughing ...

- AshutoshDeo (@thinkothink) April 7, 2016

So, #PahlajNihalani finds The Jungle Book "too scary". Looks like you missed the entire point, buddy.

- Shreya Khanna (@SherKhan93) April 7, 2016

Pahlaj Nihalani : The animals jump at you from the screen.
Every other person : Its called 3D, you idiot!

- Sid Mathur (@BhaiBahutBadiya) April 7, 2016