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Kerala HC to watch Suesh Gopi film ‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’ amid title row
The Central Board of Film Certification has objected to the film’s title saying that it refers to a Hindu goddess and its usage in a film talking about sexual violence would offend religious sentiments
Kochi: The Kerala high court on Wednesday decided to watch the Malayalam film ‘JSK: Janaki v/s State of Kerala’ before hearing further the matter related to the objections raised by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) about its title.
Its producer Cosmos Entertainments had moved the high court in June against the delay by CBFC in granting the censor certificate to the film, starring actor and Union minister of state Suresh Gopi.
The film was later referred to the revision committee of CBFC for further scrutiny. CBFC has since then maintained that the name ‘Janaki’ in the film’s title refers to a Hindu goddess and that its usage in a film talking about sexual violence would offend religious sentiments.
The producers have maintained that the film tells the story of Janaki, a woman who survived rape and later appeals for justice through the legal system.
On Wednesday, when the matter came up for hearing, the high court bench of Justice N Nagaresh orally observed that it is appropriate to view the movie before passing an order. The judge directed the producers of the film to set up a screening on July 5 and posted the matter for further hearing on July 9.
Earlier, justice Nagaresh had asked why a rape survivor couldn’t be named Janaki and lashed out at CBFC for interfering with artistic freedom.
“Now you will dictate to directors and artists which names they should use and which stories they should tell. What is wrong with Janaki? Janaki is not a rapist. If a rapist is named as Rama, Krishna, Janaki then I can understand. The heroine is fighting for justice, what is the problem with that name?” the judge had asked.
On Monday, members of Malayalam film actors and producer bodies had protested in front of the CBFC regional office in Thiruvananthapuram for the “disturbing” and “arbitrary” demands of CBFC to change the title and the name of the principal character of the film.
