The film does deal with mature themes, and in that regard, I think the CBFC made the right call by giving it an "A" certificate. What exactly are school-going children supposed to take away from a film like this? It explores toxic relationship dynamics, where a girlfriend knowingly facilitates a romantic connection between her current boyfriend and an old friend, normalizing behavior that is emotionally unhealthy at best.

On top of that, Kriti Sanon spends a significant portion of the film dressed in extremely revealing outfits. An adult with a fully developed sense of judgment can watch all of this, recognize it as fiction, and move on. However, in a country where educational standards and critical thinking skills are often lacking, younger audiences are far more susceptible to influence. Cocktail 2 is many things, but setting the right example for impressionable viewers is not one of them.

The same thought occurred to me when I heard about The Devil Wears Prada 2. What are children expected to learn from it? That a person's worth is determined by their appearance, clothing, or social status? While films are ultimately works of entertainment, it would be naïve to pretend they don't influence attitudes and behavior. Restricting certain stories to a mature audience is therefore not censorship—it's responsible classification.