Bohemian Rhapsody censorship: Chinese fans SHOCKED at censored Freddie Mercury biopic

Last weekend, Bohemian Rhapsody finally had its Chinese debut – but the censored version has left some Chinese viewers cold. Queen fans in China weren’t even allowed to see the scenes in which Freddie Mercury, played by Rami Malek, discussed his sexuality. And the studio’s decision to censor the biopic has not been received well by the general public.

As reported by Tiffany May and Claire Fu for the New York Times, many viewers felt they were being misled by the biopic.

The uncensored version of Bohemian Rhapsody hardly shone a spotlight on Mercury’s sexuality.

In fact, the film was criticised by many for shying away from fully representing Mercury’s sexuality. 

Bohemian Rhapsody only had three scenes in which Mercury outwardly discussed his sexual orientation.

They were the moment when he tells his fiancee Mary Austin he is bisexual, the introduction of Jim Hutton as his lover, and when he shared his AIDS diagnosis.

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However, all three were censored for the Chinese version of the film.

Sun Jing described for the New York Times how the dialogue was suddenly silenced when Mercury discussed AIDS, and there were no subtitles provided.

She told the New York Times: “Since I’m watching a biopic, I want to see an authentic person.

“Contents of his life should not be so inexplicably removed.”

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The Studio behind Bohemian Rhapsody provided no comment when asked about censoring the film for the Chinese market.

May and Fu wrote the blatant omission of any reference to LGBTQ issues have left:” a generation of young movie buffs, who are largely more progressive than the country’s censors, indignant.”

The scenes have found their way online, as compilation videos splice together the scenes removed from the theatrical version.

But many have lashed out at the decision to remove the scenes from the film as part of a larger problem of silencing discourse around LGBTQ rights in China.

As 22-year-old Yang Zhiyuan told the New York Times: “When these things become topics of conversation, people will be compelled to think about them.”

Bohemian Rhapsody is now playing in cinemas.