Gulf nations have banned the Indian movie “Fighter,” with the exception of the UAE. Jan. 24 Just in time for India’s 75th Republic Day, the much awaited Bollywood film “Fighter,” starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, is scheduled for a global release on January 25. Recent reports, however, indicate that the film’s content may have prevented its release in every Gulf nation save the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The prohibition in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, which include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Qatar, has sparked conjecture because the decision’s justifications have not been made public. Filmmaker and industry insider Girish Johar announced the news on Twitter, writing, “#Fighter officially banned across Middle East regions for theatrical release. This is a setback.” The movie, rated PG15, will only be released in the United Arab Emirates.

“They (the Middle Eastern countries) have withheld the certificate for their countries, but they haven’t spelled out a particular reason,” explained Girish Johar, providing clarification on the matter. With the exception of the UAE, where the movie has a PG15 rating, perhaps they have requested specific changes, or perhaps the film’s theme offends a particular demographic. Nothing official has come to our knowledge; it’s most likely still a work in progress.

In the film “Fighter,” veteran actor Anil Kapoor plays Group Captain Rakesh Jai Singh (Rocky), while Hrithik Roshan plays Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania (Patty) and Deepika Padukone plays Squadron Leader Minal Rathore (Minni). In addition to Aamir Naik, Talat Aziz, Akshay Oberoi, and Karan Singh Grover, the film is directed by Siddharth Anand. The story of “Fighter,” which depicts the Indian armed forces facing a threat from Pakistan, notably Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, makes reference to the Pulwama terror attack and India’s response at Balakot.