INDIA, Jan 24: The highly anticipated Bollywood film "Fighter," starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, is set for a global release on January 25, just ahead of India's 75th Republic Day. However, recent reports suggest that the movie has been denied release in all Gulf countries, except the United Arab Emirates (UAE), due to its content.

The ban in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, has stirred speculation, as the reasons behind the decision have not been officially disclosed. Film producer and trade expert Girish Johar shared the news on Twitter, stating, "In a setback, #Fighter officially banned across Middle East regions for theatrical release. Only UAE will release the film with a PG15 classification!"

Girish Johar shed light on the situation, saying, "They (The Middle Eastern countries) have withheld the certificate for their countries, but they haven't spelled out a particular reason. Barring UAE where the film has got a PG15 rating, maybe they've asked for certain changes or probably it is the theme of the film which they think is against a particular section of the society. There's nothing official that we have come to know; it is probably a work in progress."

The film reportedly has not received approval from the GCC Censors yet. The censor screening for "Fighter" occurred on January 10, and on Tuesday (January 23), it was officially announced that the film wouldn't be released in most Gulf countries. A source close to the "Fighter" team confirmed this update, but the makers are yet to provide an official statement.

"Fighter" features Hrithik Roshan as Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania (Patty), Deepika Padukone as Squadron Leader Minal Rathore (Minni), and veteran actor Anil Kapoor as Group Captain Rakesh Jai Singh (Rocky). Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also stars Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, Talat Aziz, and Aamir Naik, among others. The narrative of "Fighter" references the Pulwama terror attack and India's response at Balakot, showcasing the Indian armed forces confronting a threat from Pakistan, specifically Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.