Latest news with #Janaki
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
We have Ram, Sita in film titles, why is Janaki a problem, Kerala HC asks CBFC
The court asked Deputy Solicitor General of India (DSGI) O M Shalina, who appeared for the CBFC: 'We have cinemas released in the name Seeta Aur Geeta. Janaki is Sita. But nothing happened. No problem, and nobody has any complaint. We have a film Ram Lakhan. Nobody has any complaints. Then, how come for Janaki there is a complaint?' The query followed the DSGI's submission that the board had issued a show-cause notice to the filmmakers on June 26. The DSGI submitted that the modification listed was to remove/change the name of the lead character 'Janaki', from the title and dialogues wherever it occurs. To this, the court asked, 'Why should there be modification?' The DSGI submitted that the board's guidelines say visuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups are not presented in films. The narrative of the film (JSK) deals with mature content, thus the name 'Janaki' should not be used in this context. The HC has directed that the show-cause notice be placed before it on June 30.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
High Court points to Sita Aur Geeta and Ram Lakhan, asks why CBFC objects to title of Janaki vs State of Kerala
The Kerala High Court on Friday asked what the problem was with the title of the Malayalam film, Janaki vs State of Kerala, after the Central Board of Film Certification demanded that it be changed. The producers of the film, starring actor and Union minister Suresh Gopi, approached the High Court against the delay in CBFC certification for the film that had been scheduled for release on Friday (June 27). Following opposition to the CBFC's first demand for a change in the title of the film, the matter was taken up by the Revising Committee of the board, which also called for the name change. The word the CBFC wants changed is Janaki, another name for Goddess Sita, which is also the name of the main character in the film. When the matter came up for hearing in the High Court, Justice N Nagaresh pointed out there had been several films that have names of Gods in the title, and that there had so far been no problem. 'Then, how come for Janaki there is a complaint?' the judge asked. The court observed that there had been films such Sita Aur Geeta (1972) and Ram Lakhan (1989). The CBFC informed the court that it had issued a notice to the producers, saying the film could be sanctioned for public exhibition if they carry out a change in the name of the lead character, Janaki, from the title and from dialogue. The notice also said the Revising Committee came to the conclusion. It said the film deals with mature content, which includes sexual crime against women, strong sexual language/words, references to drugs, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Considering the same, the Revising Committee unanimously recommended the grant of 'UA 16+' with the modifications. Subsequently, the court directed the CBFC to place the notice before it on the next day of hearing on June 30, even asking the film producers to either reply to the notice or appeal against it. Supreme Court advocate and Rajya Sabha member Haris Beeran, who appeared for the producer, Cosmos Entertainment, said the board has no right to issue such a notice. It is untenable under the cinematograph certification rules. 'We are going to challenge the notice as filing a reply will only further delay the release of the film,' he said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Why has JSK – Janaki Vs State of Kerala not been issued censor certificate, HC asks censor board
Stating that films bearing similar names had been released earlier, the Kerala High Court asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) why censor certificate has not been issued for the Malayalam feature film JSK – Janaki vs State of Kerala. The producer firm of the film that stars, among others, Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi had approached the High Court, citing delay on the part of the CBFC in issuing the certificate. The CBFC's counsel informed the court that its objection was to the name of the film's central character, Janaki, which is another name for the Hindu goddess Sita. Also, explicit language was used while referring to women. Certificate for teaser Wondering why the name of the character – a commonly used name — has to be changed, the court observed that many Indian films having names of gods, goddesses and religious figures in the title had been granted censor certificates in the past. There were movies like Sita aur Gita. No one had any complaints then. The film's producer firm said that the CBFC had issued a censor certificate for the same film's teaser trailer. The revising committee of the CBFC had on Thursday asked the makers of the film to change the title of the film as well as the name of the protagonist. It had been reported 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 officials there demanded a change in the title as well as the name of the titular character of Janaki. It was also conveyed to the makers through unofficial channels that the victim of a sexual assault cannot be named after a goddess. The revising committee met after the makers of the film approached the Kerala High Court, alleging delay.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Janaki vs State of Kerala: Malayalam film bodies to stage protest before CBFC office for declining certification
Film personalities belonging to various movie organisations will stage a dharna before the office of the Central Board of Film Certfication (CBFC) on Monday to protest the Board's decision to decline certification to the film Janaki Vs State of Kerala (JSK). The CBFC revising committee had verbally directed the makers of the Suresh Gopi-starrer, JSK, to change the name of the titular character, as Janaki is another name of Goddess Sita. Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) general secretary B Unnikrishnan told reporters here on Friday that people belonging to the entire film industry will take part in the protest before the CBFC office in Thiruvananthapuram. Terming the CBFC's decision as 'arbitrary,' he wondered why the name change was being suggested after the film was cleared by the regional panel of the censor board. ALSO READ | Akshaye Khanna fired Vidya Balan after she refused to do a film opposite him: 'I was so scared, asked John Abraham to save me' The film was given U/A certification and was sent to the CBFC office in Mumbai, from where the change was suggested. 'We fail to understand the criterion behind such a decision,' he said. Earlier also, director M B Padmakumar's film, Token Number could be cleared for release only after changing the name of its female character from Janaki to Jayanthi, he said. Unnikrishnan said the teaser and trailer of JSK, cleared by the censor board, were being run in theatres for the last one month. 'We do not know if it has created any communal disharmony.' The film's director, Pravin Narayanan, in his Facebook post on Thursday, confirmed that he had been told by the revising committee members that the name of the central character be changed to get a certification. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court, which is hearing a petition filed by the film's makers against the delay in getting certification, directed the censor board to inform its decision to the court on Friday itself.
India Gazette
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
"Decision is disturbing, arbitrary," says Malayalam film federation official on 'Janaki Vs State of Kerala', Censor Board row
Kochi (Kerala) [India], June 27 (ANI): General Secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), B Unnikrishnan on Friday termed as 'distrurbing' and 'arbitrary,' the alleged demand of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to the makers of 'Janaki vs State of Kerala' to change the name of both the film and its title character. Producers of 'Janaki Vs State of Kerala' (JSK) starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi and directed by Pravin Narayanan have approached the Kerala High Court regarding the alleged unofficial directive from the CBFC. FEFKA General Secretary Unnikrishnan told ANI, 'We are also not very sure or clear about the issue regarding JSK, the film JSK. But from our conversation with the director, what we understand is that the CBFC is very keen that the name of the protagonist (played by Anupama Parameswaran), that is Janaki be changed to something else. They have some problem with the connotations of the name Janaki.' However, Unnikrishnan said the film, according to its director, does not contain any specific religious reference or allusions. 'The film doesn't have any specific religious reference or allusions, according to the director. So this decision is really disturbing and is very arbitrary. We are trying to figure out what exactly is the take of CBFC. We expect that they will furnish a show cause in the Honourable High Court this afternoon. After going through, after perusal of that document, we will take appropriate steps and address the issue properly,' sad Unnikrishnan. The FEFKA General Secretary also expressed disappointment with the alleged 'random takes' on films from the last couple of years. He said that they are ready to address and discuss such a problem with the authorities and the government. 'Our collective has serious issues with such random takes on films. This keeps happening for the last couple of years. So we need to address this issue at length and speak with authorities, and speak with the government. We, our members, should have proper guidelines to rely on. The guidelines, what we have now, are very generalised. And the members can interpret those guidelines at their will. So I think the guidelines should be more focused, specific and clear,' he said. Unnikrishnan further said that FEFKA and South Eastern Film Critic Association (SEFCA) are planning to plead in the petition filed by JSK in the High Court, however, he said 'it's a little too early for that.' He said, 'We are planning to plead in the petition to be filed by the producer in the High Court. Both SEFCA and the Kerala Film Producers Association. So that is a very symbolic protest. We want to address this issue in the public domain and also initiate a discussion on this public domain. So that is a very symbolic protest which is going to happen on Monday. We had a discussion with almost all political parties. And they all feel that this issue was quite unfortunate. Hopefully, in the next week or something we can take those discussions forward. But this is too early to say anything about it.' JSK is produced by Cosmis Entertainment. (ANI)
