Then Triptii Dimri, Now Pooja Hegde, Animal's Leak 'Stunt' To Deva's Rescue

The much-awaited action-thriller Deva, starring Shahid Kapoor, hit the theatres on Friday. Ahead of the film's release, Shahid shared an emotional note on social media, as he looked back at the hard work and dedication he put into the project. The movie has divided the audiences with mixed reviews of the film trending on social media. A kiss scene cut in length by the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) has made its way online on social media.

As the video leaked, showing the lip lock between Pooja Hegde and Shahid, Deva became a talking point on social media. Many compared Ranbir Kapoor and Shahid, referring to the kissing scene in the former's film Animal.

Animal stunt to save Deva?

In Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal (2023), Triptii Dimri and Ranbir Kapoor's characters share an intimate scene. The two actors' chemistry left audiences excited and wanting more. The pair appeared in the media during the post-release promotions of Animal and ad films thereafter. However, the leak "stunt" managed to work in the favour of the movie.

Deva underwent censorship by the CBFC before its release. A kissing scene was edited by six seconds and the makers agreed to get a U/A rating for the film. "And maybe, they felt that a longer kiss scene would make the film adult. Therefore, the kiss must have been reduced so that Deva can be passed with a U/A rating," ex-CBFC Chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani told Bollywood Hungama.

Deva kiss scene leaked, netizens react

Meanwhile, Pooja Hegde's performance in Deva is earning positive reviews. "Pooja Hegde is pure MAGIC! ✨❤️ Her performances always leave me in awe (sic)," commented a netizen about the movie. Another one wrote, "Shahid Kapoor & Pooja Hegde deliver an electrifying action thriller with intense performances, gripping twists & sizzling chemistry (sic)."

Apart from this, Deva has managed to do below-par business at the box office on its opening day. According to the early estimates, the film is on track to become one of Shahid's lowest openers with day one collections in the ₹3-4 crore range.