Latest news with #JSK-JanakivsStateofKerala
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
High court judge watches Suresh Gopi movie JSK at pvt studio
1 2 3 Kochi: Kerala high court judge Justice N Nagaresh viewed Suresh Gopi-starrer movie 'JSK-Janaki vs State of Kerala' at a private studio in Kakkanad, Kochi, on Saturday following a petition received concerning the title and lead character name Janaki. Justice N Nagaresh, accompanied by Anand B Menon (the petitioners' counsel), three court officials and central govt counsels S Biju and Alka Warrier, watched the movie at Colour Planet Studio in Padamugal. The screening, initially scheduled at Lal Media, Palarivattom, was shifted due to technical reasons. The judge and officials arrived at the studio at 10am and left around 1pm after watching the film, which is of two-and-a-half hours' duration. The petition was posted for further hearing on July 9. Cosmos Entertainment, the movie's production house, had approached the high court seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a censor certificate within a stipulated time frame as the film was originally slated for June 27 release. CBFC, however, objected to the title and the use of the name Janaki — another name for Goddess Sita — contending that it violated Guideline 2(12) of the film certification rules, which prohibits visuals or expressions contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ford&Go. Extra Bonus di € 1.500 e prima rata a ottobre. Ford Italia Scopri di più Undo In an earlier hearing, the court had criticised the CBFC's stance, questioning how the use of the name Janaki could be deemed offensive. "What is wrong with the name Janaki? Why should the petitioner change the title? Give a reason. Do you dictate to directors and artists which titles they should use or what stories they should tell?" the court had asked. Kochi: Kerala high court judge Justice N Nagaresh viewed Suresh Gopi-starrer movie 'JSK-Janaki vs State of Kerala' at a private studio in Kakkanad, Kochi, on Saturday following a petition received concerning the title and lead character name Janaki. Justice N Nagaresh, accompanied by Anand B Menon (the petitioners' counsel), three court officials and central govt counsels S Biju and Alka Warrier, watched the movie at Colour Planet Studio in Padamugal. The screening, initially scheduled at Lal Media, Palarivattom, was shifted due to technical reasons. The judge and officials arrived at the studio at 10am and left around 1pm after watching the film, which is of two-and-a-half hours' duration. The petition was posted for further hearing on July 9. Cosmos Entertainment, the movie's production house, had approached the high court seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a censor certificate within a stipulated time frame as the film was originally slated for June 27 release. CBFC, however, objected to the title and the use of the name Janaki — another name for Goddess Sita — contending that it violated Guideline 2(12) of the film certification rules, which prohibits visuals or expressions contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups. In an earlier hearing, the court had criticised the CBFC's stance, questioning how the use of the name Janaki could be deemed offensive. "What is wrong with the name Janaki? Why should the petitioner change the title? Give a reason. Do you dictate to directors and artists which titles they should use or what stories they should tell?" the court had asked.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Censor board's ban on JSK an attack on creative freedom: Saji Cherian
Minister for Culture Saji Cherian has criticised the Central Board of Film Certifications' (CBFC) decision to deny screening permission for the film JSK-Janaki vs State of Kerala, starring Union Minister and actor Suresh Gopi, calling it a blatant infringement on freedom of expression. Interacting with mediapersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Cherian said, 'If this is the plight of a film featuring a Union Minister, what can common artists expect?' He said the government stands firmly with those in the film industry and creative fields and will extend all necessary support. 'A denial of certification merely based on a film's title is an unjustified overreach and cannot be accepted,' the Minister said. He drew parallels to the earlier censorship issues faced by Empuraan, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran. Scenes from the film were removed and raids were conducted at the offices of the makers. 'But the people of Kerala wholeheartedly accepted the film,' he said. Mr. Cherian reaffirmed that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the democratic right to enjoy cinema, literature, music, and food choices. 'Any form of encroachment on these rights are unacceptable. We are committed to ensuring a supportive environment for artists to work freely,' he said. He said that the Kerala government will continue to uphold the spirit of artistic liberty and stand as a barrier against censorship and intolerance.
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Malayalam film organisations put up united front against CBFC to say 'no cuts'
A defiant slogan of protest 'Start, action, no cuts' rang out in the air at the Chitranjali Studio complex in the capital on Monday, as a group of filmmakers, actors and technicians symbolically threw the scissors that they were holding up into the dustbin. The occasion had all the sense of drama typical of the films many of them have been part of, but this was to serve a much more serious purpose—to protest against the alleged increase in censorship of films. The regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) located inside the studio complex witnessed the coming together of various Malayalam film bodies for a common cause. The immediate provocation was the demand of the officials at the CBFC headquarters in Mumbai to the makers of the film JSK-Janaki vs State of Kerala, starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi, to change the title of the film. Another film, Token Number directed by M.B. Padmakumar, also faced a similar issue over the name 'Janaki' given to a character. Representatives of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) came together for the protest. Posters of past films with 'Janaki' in the title were displayed to send a message to the censors. Filmmakers and producers called for proper guidelines for censoring to prevent arbitrary decision-making, as happened in the case of JSK. To ensure freedom B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary, FEFKA, expressed hope that the protest would be taken up by the civil society in Kerala and cultural activists across the country. 'We don't see JSK as a film starring a Union Minister. Cinema also belongs to the filmmaker, the screenwriter and the producer. We see this as an issue that producers are facing. This protest is not just for this film. It is to ensure that all of us will continue to have the freedom to make the kind of films that we want to make. This campaign is just a beginning,' he said. Producer M. Renjith said that the attempts at censoring were anti-democratic. Such tendencies would branch out of cinema into other spheres of life too, he said. Filmmaker Shaji Kailas cautioned against giving a communal colour to everything. 'Will they have a problem with my name too?' he asked.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
JSK – Janaki vs State of Kerala row: Malayalam film bodies to protest before CBFC office in Kerala capital
Various film bodies in the Malayalam movie industry will stage a protest in front of the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) at Thiruvananthapuram on June 30, 2025 in protest against the 'arbitrary film certification' adopted by the board. The day-long protest was decided after the CBFC's revising committee demanded the makers of the film JSK - Janaki vs State of Kerala to change the title of the film as well as the name of the protagonist. The representatives of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), Kerala Film Producers' Association, Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (MAA) will be among those who will be participating in the protest on Monday, said B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary of FEFKA, here on Friday. He termed the revising committee's decision as 'arbitrary' and one that may have far-reaching consequences in the way forward for the cinema industry. Already, filmmakers and writers who are working on various projects have contacted us expressing their concern over the board's decision, he said. The revising committee is learnt to have demanded a change in the title as well as the name of the titular character of Janaki, apparently because the name also refers to the Hindu goddess Sita. It was conveyed to the makers through unofficial channels that the victim of a sexual assault cannot be named after a goddess. The revising committee had met after the makers of the film approached the Kerala High Court alleging delay by the CBFC in issuing a censor certificate to the film. Long-term solution sought Mr. Unnikrishnan said that 'a long-term solution' was required to clear the confusion over the guidelines prescribed by the board. Many films released earlier in Malayalam had characters with the name 'Janaki'. A question on what change has happened between then and now on keeping such a name has to be addressed, he said. Renji Panicker, president of the Directors' Union affiliated to the FEFKA, said that a situation may emerge when the characters have to be 'given numbers instead of names.' 'Any name given to a character in a movie can be disputed as it may be connected to a religion. The political parties cannot stay away from addressing such a serious issue,' he said. Release delayed The release of the movie JSK – Janaki vs State of Kerala, starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi that was initially planned on June 27, has been delayed owing to the ongoing row.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
CBFC revising committee rejects certification to JSK - Janaki vs State of Kerala
The revising committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has also demanded the makers of the film JSK - Janaki vs State of Kerala, starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi, to change the title of the film as well as the name of the protagonist. Pravin Narayanan, director of the film, announced the revising committee's decision in a social media post on Thursday. The filmmaker had earlier told The Hindu that the Thiruvananthapuram regional office of the CBFC had cleared the censoring of the film on June 18 with a U/A certificate. However, when the regional office forwarded the same to the CBFC headquarters in Mumbai, the higher officials there demanded a change in the title as well as the name of the titular character of Janaki, apparently because the name also refers to the Hindu goddess Sita. It was conveyed to the makers through unofficial channels that the victim of a sexual assault cannot be named after a goddess. Protests planned Following the news of the rejection by the revising committee, various film bodies have begun planning for protests and legal action against the CBFC over the alleged repeated instances of censors making such demands of filmmakers. The revising committee met after the makers of the film approached the Kerala High Court alleging delay by the CBFC in issuing a censor certificate to the film. The delay has led to huge losses to the producers who had organised marketing campaigns and promotional events for the film, which was supposed to release on June 27.
