MUMBAI: Imran Hashmi starrer Crook, produced by Mahesh Bhatt and directed by Mohit Suri has been given an A certificate by the Censor Board.

Mahesh had been told by the Censor Board that if he wanted a U/A certificate for his film Crook he would have to edit out a scene with a topless actress in it. However Mahesh chose an A rather than cutting the scene even though Suri, tried to convince him otherwise.

A source close to Bhatts says, “In the film, Emraan Hashmi gets drunk and passes out in Shella’s car. He wakes up in her bed, and when he comes out from the washroom he sees her changing her clothes, with her back to him. Mahesh questioned the Censor Board’s decision to allow frontal nudity in some films that are known as Indian classics today, whereas his film shows side nudity only. The Censor members completely disagreed with it.”

Bhatt said, “It’s okay. I was not ready to eliminate that scene. I see nothing wrong in it. There are three reasons why I was so possessive about the scene. One, it is relevant to the film. Two, it creates a dramatic impact. Three, the audience today largely comprises of the young generation who want certain sensationalism and not the so- called purists.”

Besides Hashmi, the film also stars Neha Sharma and Arjan Bajwa and is slated to release on 8 October, 2010.