The Kerala High Court on Monday raised serious concerns over the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) reported objection to the use of the name Janaki in the upcoming Malayalam film Janaki v/s State of Kerala (JSK), starring actor-politician Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran in the lead. Directed by Pravin Narayanan, it is reportedly a courtroom drama that follows a rape survivor’s legal fight for justice.
Justice N Nagaresh questioned the CBFC’s position, which held that naming the protagonist Janaki, a name traditionally associated with the Hindu goddess Sita, could hurt religious sentiments due to the character being a sexual assault survivor. The judge expressed difficulty in accepting this reasoning. He remarked that objections might be more understandable if a character committing the crime bore the name Janaki, Rama or Krishna, but in this case, the name belonged to the heroine, who was fighting for justice.
The Court also criticised the CBFC for what it viewed as an undue interference with artistic freedom. Justice Nagaresh challenged the idea of film authorities dictating what names filmmakers can use. He found CBFC’s reasoning unconvincing and lacking in legal justification. Notably, the CBFC had earlier cleared the teaser for the same film without raising any objections to the title or character names, raising further questions about the Board’s consistency.
The petition before the Court was filed by Cosmos Entertainments, the production company behind the film. According to the petition, the CBFC had not issued a formal objection or show-cause notice but had delayed certification for the full film based on informal concerns over the title. The company argued that the delay not only infringed on their rights to free speech and profession under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution but also caused financial damage, as the film was scheduled for release on June 27.
The producers have refused to alter the film’s title or rename the central character. The Court has now directed the Deputy Solicitor General of India to file a counter-affidavit or statement clarifying the CBFC’s position on the matter. The controversy has prompted strong reactions from the Malayalam film industry. On Monday, a protest was held outside the CBFC’s regional office at Chitranjali Studio Complex in Thiruvananthapuram. The demonstration was jointly organised by the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), and the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA).
Participants, including prominent actors, directors and technicians, carried placards calling for the protection of creative freedom and denouncing censorship. In a symbolic act, scissors were thrown into a dustbin, with FEFKA General Secretary B Unnikrishnan declaring that censorship tools which do not respect artistic liberty belong in the trash.
