The violence and the setting of the film, which is terrorism, led to the Censor Board taking this decision. They felt it would be suitable only for an adult audience. Rensil D'Silva, the director of the film, tried talking to the Censor Board authorities and convince them into giving it a ‘U' or ‘U/A' certificate but they wouldn't budge.
Regional Officer of the Censor Board, Vinayak Azad, confirmed the news and said, "After we saw Kurbaan, we felt that it was meant for adult viewing only."