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Janaki vs State of Kerala: Mollywood Unites Against CBFC`s Arbitrary Decision
Updated on: 27 June, 2025 04:20 PM IST |Amruta Karulkar
Janaki v State of Kerala Row
The Malayalam film industry is on a collision course with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). In a united front, major film bodies will stage a day-long protest in Thiruvananthapuram on June 30, 2025. This move comes after the CBFC’s revising committee demanded significant changes to the upcoming film, JSK - Janaki vs State of Kerala, sparking outrage over creative censorship.
A dismayed director, Pravin Narayanan, took to Facebook to voice his frustration. “We’ve been told to change the name of the main character, who is called Janaki throughout the film — more than 90 times,” he explained. Narayanan highlighted that making such a drastic alteration at this stage is both practically and emotionally unfeasible, especially after the regional panel had initially cleared the film.
The decision has been widely condemned as an act of "arbitrary film certification." B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), confirmed that representatives from FEFKA, the Kerala Film Producers’ Association, and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (MAA) will participate in the protest. He warned that this ruling could have “far-reaching consequences” for the industry. "We fail to understand what prompted the revision committee to take such a stance,” Unnikrishnan stated, questioning the sudden objection when the film`s promotional materials had been in circulation for over a month.
Also Read: A Decade of Premam: The Malayalam Film That Redefined Romance
The incident has sparked a larger debate on creative freedom. Renji Panicker, president of the Directors’ Union, expressed a grim outlook, suggesting a future where characters might need to be “given numbers instead of names” to avoid religious disputes. The industry is now seeking "a long-term solution" to clarify the CBFC`s ambiguous guidelines and protect artistic expression.
Also Read: Filmmaker Jeethu Joseph Announces Both Drishyam 3 Films With Mohanlal and Devgn
The Heart of the Controversy
The release of the Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran starrer has been indefinitely stalled. The CBFC’s revising committee in Mumbai has refused to clear the film unless the protagonist`s name, "Janaki," is changed. The apparent reason is that Janaki is another name for the Hindu goddess Sita, and the board unofficially conveyed that the name is inappropriate for a character who is a victim of sexual assault.A dismayed director, Pravin Narayanan, took to Facebook to voice his frustration. “We’ve been told to change the name of the main character, who is called Janaki throughout the film — more than 90 times,” he explained. Narayanan highlighted that making such a drastic alteration at this stage is both practically and emotionally unfeasible, especially after the regional panel had initially cleared the film.
The decision has been widely condemned as an act of "arbitrary film certification." B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), confirmed that representatives from FEFKA, the Kerala Film Producers’ Association, and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (MAA) will participate in the protest. He warned that this ruling could have “far-reaching consequences” for the industry. "We fail to understand what prompted the revision committee to take such a stance,” Unnikrishnan stated, questioning the sudden objection when the film`s promotional materials had been in circulation for over a month.
Also Read: A Decade of Premam: The Malayalam Film That Redefined Romance
Legal Battle and Broader Concerns
The film’s producers had approached the Kerala High Court regarding the delay in certification. During proceedings, the court questioned the CBFC`s stance, citing past films like Seeta Aur Geeta and Ram Lakhan that faced no such issues. The CBFC defended its decision by referencing guidelines against content "contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups."The incident has sparked a larger debate on creative freedom. Renji Panicker, president of the Directors’ Union, expressed a grim outlook, suggesting a future where characters might need to be “given numbers instead of names” to avoid religious disputes. The industry is now seeking "a long-term solution" to clarify the CBFC`s ambiguous guidelines and protect artistic expression.
Also Read: Filmmaker Jeethu Joseph Announces Both Drishyam 3 Films With Mohanlal and Devgn
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