Producer of Suresh Gopi-Starr JSK: Janaki V/S State of Kerala on Wednesday said the Kerala High Court said that he was all set to convert the film’s title to the state of V/S State Kerala.
Earlier, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the court that it was ready to issue a screening certificate for the Malayalam film if the producer agreed to change the title in V Janaki from Janaki.
The board argued that the Nayak’s name is Janaki Vidharan, and can be included in the title as a result. The board also made a climb from its earlier stand, stating that it was proposing only two changes in the film, rather than demanding it earlier.
The release of the film set for June 27 was delayed after CBFC demanded a change in the title as well as a change in the name of the hero, which is fighting for justice in a rape case. CBFC denied the certificate on the basis that Janaki is also a name for Goddess Sita. This motivated producers to contact the High Court.
When the case came to hear, the producers informed the court that they were ready to mute the name of Janaki at two places. The CBFC suggested the name to be muted on two occasions related to a court scene in the film.
On Tuesday, both sides were ready for a climb. The bench of Justice V. Nagresh, who watched the film last Saturday, will consider the matter a week later.
In earlier hearing, the court took a strong exception to the CBFC stand. The court said, “Now you will direct the directors and artists what names they should use and what stories they should tell. What is wrong with the people? How is it contempt towards a religion? … It is the freedom of artists,” the court said.
The story continues below this advertisement
When the petitioner said that the film is about the fight for a survivor with a rape and the name of Janaki Nayak, the court thought, “Janaki is not a rapist. If a rapist is named as Ram, Krishna, Janaki, I can understand. The heroine is fighting for justice, what is the problem in that name?”
Drama (T) Anupama Parameshwaran (T) Praveen Narayanan (T) Film Release (T) CBFC Guidelines (T) Cinematograph Act.
