Many viewers who ventured to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, expected an abundance of skin show, intimacy or violence. This is because the film has been certified ‘A’. However, all such fears were put to rest once patrons exited the theatre; after all, there’s nothing even remotely adult in the film, be it in terms of dialogues, scenes or even theme. Almost everyone is unanimous that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a family-friendly flick and that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) should have awarded it a U/A, if not a ‘U’, rating.
Bollywood Hungama went through the ratings awarded by censor boards across various countries and found that India is the only country where The Devil Wears Prada 2 is restricted to audiences aged 18 and above. In Switzerland, the film is permitted for anyone above the age of 6. Finland, Denmark and Spain permit anyone over 7 to catch the comedy drama. In Ireland, one has to be above 8, while in Belgium and the Netherlands, one has to be 9 to see the film. Turkey has awarded 10A rating to The Devil Wears Prada 2. In all these countries, minors are not restricted from watching the film; they can enter the theatre if accompanied by adults.
The Censor Boards in Brazil, Hungary, Malta, the United Kingdom, Oman, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and Ukraine have given 12 rating to the film. One has to be above 13 or accompanied by adults in Argentina, Bahrain, Indonesia, Singapore, the United States and the United Arab Emirates if they want to check out the Meryl Streep-Anne Hathaway-Emily Blunt-Stanley Tucci starrer. In Lebanon and Vietnam, the film has received a PG13 and T13 rating; it means that no one under the age of 13 can watch the film.
Then there are four countries where the rating is a bit mature, but still the film is accessible to under 18-year-olds. In Australia and Saudi Arabia, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has received an M and PG15 rating. Anyone under the age of 15 can watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 if they are tagging along with an adult or above the age of 15. In Kuwait, no one can see the film if they are under 15, while the same rule is in place in Russia for those under 16.
There are three countries – Egypt, Hong Kong and the Philippines – where the film has received a ‘Parental Guidance’ rating. Finally, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has no age restrictions and is accessible to all in as many as 11 countries – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and Thailand.
La La Land déjà vu
The unjustified ‘A’ rating for The Devil Wears Prada 2 brings back memories of La La Land (2016). The acclaimed musical romantic saga had family-friendly content and yet got an ‘A’ rating in India. Just like The Devil Wears Prada 2, every other major country in the world made it accessible to anyone under the age of 18.
To conclude
The question, then, is simple: what exactly did the CBFC see in The Devil Wears Prada 2 that the rest of the world did not? When countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas have found the film suitable for younger audiences, India’s ‘A’ rating doesn’t just look harsh; it looks inexplicable. At a time when the industry is trying to bring families back to theatres, such baffling certification decisions end up hurting films, exhibitors and audiences alike. Thankfully, despite the ‘A’ rating, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is delivering huge numbers at the box office in India. Nevertheless, the CBFC owes an explanation for this fiasco.
Also Read: Karan Johar reviews The Devil Wears Prada 2: “I walked out more in love with Meryl Streep”
