'Rocketman' Russian censorship: Makers disappointed with 'barriers'

The makers of Taron Egerton starrer 'Rocketman' and Elton John have blasted the Russian distributor of the movie for removing intimate scenes between men from the musical biopic. "We reject in the strongest possible terms the decision to pander to local laws and censor 'Rocketman' for the Russian market, a move we were unaware of until today," said a statement released on Friday, reported Variety.

"Paramount Pictures have been brave and bold partners in allowing us to create a film which is a true representation of Elton's extraordinary life, warts and all. That the local distributor has edited out certain scenes, denying the audience the opportunity to see the film as it was intended is a sad reflection of the divided world we still live in and how it can still be so cruelly unaccepting of the love between two people. We believe in building bridges and open dialogue, and will continue to push for the breaking down of barriers until all people are heard equally across the world," it read. After the screening of the biopic that took place on May 30 in Moscow, Russian Journalists reported the cuts.

Paramount issued a separate statement on Friday: "We are incredibly proud of the movie that we made, which is told in the way that Elton John wanted his story to be depicted. We are releasing the film in its entirety around the world regardless of rating, but like all studios, we must adhere to local laws and requirements in certain territories in which the film is being shown." The film follows John's journey starting from a young piano prodigy named Reginald Dwight to a rockstar struggling with addiction who finally finds his way to sobriety.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher, the film's screenplay has been penned by Lee Hall. Elton and his husband David have produced the film along with Lawrence Bender, Adam Bohling, David Reid, and Matthew Vaughn. The film was released on May 31. 

(With inputs from agencies.)