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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.
India Today
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Kerala High Court to watch Janaki vs State of Kerala amid censorship controversy
The Kerala High Court is scheduled to watch the Malayalam film 'Janaki Vs State of Kerala' on July 7 at Lal Media in Palarivattom in Kerala's Kochi. This decision comes amid a controversy involving the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and their demand for a title change. The film's production company, Cosmos Entertainments, has petitioned for the court's CBFC's revising committee has requested changes, citing concerns over the character Janaki's portrayal as a victim of sexual assault and its reference to Goddess Sita. The board argued this depiction necessitates a title change, suggesting it poses "a challenge to the freedom of creative expression." The film's counsel contends that Janaki is "a fighter for justice," challenging the board's N Nagaresh, who will watch the film alongside representatives from both the petitioner and the CBFC. In a report by The Hindu, he said, "Considering the allegations in the petitions, I believe it is appropriate to watch the movie before arriving at a decision." The petitioner's counsel highlighted a perceived inconsistency, noting that "the same board had also issued a censor certificate to a film titled 'Janaki Jaane.'"The court observed that "the character is a victim who is fighting for justice, and is not an accused." The case is set for a hearing on July 8 after its screening. This legal battle highlights ongoing tensions between artistic freedom and regulatory oversight in Indian the hearing date approaches, the court's decision is anticipated to set a precedent for future cases involving creative works and censorship.- EndsMust Watch
New Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Kerala HC to watch 'Janaki vs State of Kerala' film on Saturday
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday decided to watch the film 'Janaki vs State of Kerala,' starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi, on Saturday at 10 a.m. "Considering the allegations in the writ petitions, I believe it is appropriate to view the movie before making any final decisions. The petitioner is directed to arrange a screening in an appropriate studio on Saturday at 10 am," said Justice N. Nagaresh. The court clarified that it will close the case on July 9. The court stated that the representative of each party, the petitioner and the Board, or their counsel, can be present during the screening. During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner mentioned that there are practical difficulties in screening the movie in court since it is only available for theatrical release. The petitioner can arrange a studio screening at Lal Media, Palarivattom. The court then asked, "Does anybody have an objection to viewing the film at Lal Media?" No one objected.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kochi's film renaissance
Kochi: There was pin-drop silence inside the state-of-the-art dubbing suite, even as heavy rains pounded on the tin roofs in the neighbourhood. Actor Fahadh Faasil peered into the 150-inch projection screen, emoting the dialogue, fully immersed in the character from the yet-to-be-released Tamil movie 'Mareeshan'. Dubbing engineer Subin Joseph worked meticulously to match the actor's resonant voice with the fast-moving images, to get a frame-byframe precision. After a short break on the verandah, Fahadh returned to the Audi 1 suite situated on the third floor of Lal Media Arts film studio to continue dubbing. Although a major portion of the road movie was shot in Chennai, Fahadh chose Kochi for its post-production work: A testament to the city's rise in prominence in the South Indian film production ecosystem. Lal Media in fact has two more dubbing studios on its third floor that have been booked for two major upcoming film projects. Next to it, the post-production work of another major movie was on at DLS Studio — one of the largest and most advanced Dolby atmos studios in Kerala — and a team led by sound designer P C Vishnu was in the final stages of mixing a movie starring Saiju Kurup. With nearly 20 digital studios, sound and editing suites and production floors equipped with cutting-edge technology coming up in Kochi in the last five years, the state's business capital has metamorphosed into a post-production and virtual film production hub in South India. Gone are the days when Malayalam cine artists and singers used to travel to Chennai, for post-production work and even made Chennai their second home due to easy access to big studios there. Today, blockbusters like the Rs 200-crore hit 'Thudarum' were entirely produced and post-produced in Kochi, from concept to completion. The AI-generated young look of Mammootty of the 80s for Rekhachithram was created at a Kochi-based AI studio. It earned nationwide acclaim and became a box office success. Similarly, the stunning Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) of '2018', based on Kerala floods, was developed by Kochi's visual effects team and the movie proved that a world-class post-production can be done on a modest budget, redefining what's possible for regional cinema. 'Premalu' which grossed Rs 100 crore had completed its post-production including Digital Intermediate (DI) and VFX in Kochi. Producers of several upcoming bigbudget films, including 'Kadamattathu Kathanar' and 'Aadu 3', are planning to carry out large-scale VFX work in Kochi. The city has firmly established itself as one of the country's leading post-production hubs — home to cutting- edge DI studios and one of the largest studio floors in India by Gokulam Group, spanning a massive 45,000 sq ft at Pookkattupady on the city outskirts. Today, a leading film studio in Kochi handles the post-production works — including editing, dubbing, sound mixing, VFX and DI — for over a hundred films each year. "It was a revolutionary step," recalls senior sound designer Vinod P Sivaram, an FTII Pune alumnus who played a key role in this transformation by helping set up Lal Media. "Our studio began in a modest rented building and the first recording done there was of the songs of the movie Kannaki," he says. Shibu G Susheelan, senior production executive and general secretary of Fefka's production executive wing, said currently, post-production work for at least 10 films is under way in the city, with studios operating in three six-hour shifts due to packed schedules. "The relatively low production costs for computer graphics (CG) and DI work in Kochi, coupled with the improved quality of output, are prompting many producers to choose Kochi over post-production teams from other states," he says. Even Tamil and Telugu films are increasingly turning to Kochi. "In Malayalam, almost all major production houses — such as Anto Joseph Film Company, Aashirvad Cinemas, Gokulam Movies, Friday Film House, Kavya Films etc — are now based in Kochi and rely on local studios for post-production. Gokulam's studio floor to come up in Pookkattupady will be a milestone in virtual film production," Susheelan says. Alan, who is managing the Lal Media says the studio has all modern post-production facilities in Kochi including two Dolby Atmos mixing studios, through an investment of Dolby Atmos mixing facility costing around Rs 2 crore. "DLS Studio has already done Dolby Atmos mixing for 35-40 films, including several non-Malayalam projects, in the past one year alone. During the same period, Lal Media handled 45 to 50 dubbing assignments, reflecting Kochi's growing strength in post-production services. If we opt for Chennai, logistics and accommodation costs can be more than four times higher than what we spend in Kochi," he says. Jithendran, a senior dubbing engineer pointed out that almost all advanced studio microphone systems, such as the well-regarded U-87 and AKG are available in Kochi now and even the senior film stars are very satisfied with the post-production services available here. Although the roots of Malayalam cinema trace back to Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, where J C Daniel — the father of Malayalam cinema — made the first film with a locally assembled crew and studio, the industry soon migrated to Madras (now Chennai). By the 1930s, Malayalam cinema was entirely based there. For over five decades, Madras remained the nerve centre of Mollywood, where stars lived, technicians thrived and production houses flourished — many of them dominated by Tamil-speaking professionals, particularly in the technical departments. It wasn't until the 1960s that Kerala began to build its own cinematic infrastructure with the emergence of two major studios — Udaya and Merryland. The establishment of Chitranjali Studio in 1980 further strengthened local production capabilities. Even then, post-production and technical work remained tied to Kodambakkam in Tamil Nadu for many decades. The real shift began in the early 2000s, when Kochi started attracting young new-gen filmmakers with its modern facilities. Until the turn of the millennium, almost all post-production work for Malayalam films was done in Chennai. That pattern began to shift when filmmaker Lal, of the Siddique-Lal duo, launched Lal Media in Kochi. In 2001, 'Kalyanaraman' became the first Malayalam film to complete nearly 90% of its post-production work in Kochi. The movie went on to become a massive hit. The momentum continued with Thilakkam, followed by other notable movies like 'Vellithira' and 'Mizhi Randilum', all of which completed their post-production at the same studio. In 2004, the studio moved to a permanent facility and during Vishu 2006, six out of seven Malayalam releases had completed their post-production there. Building on this momentum, several prominent film personalities also established their own ventures. Actor Dileep, in collaboration with Lal and Suresh Gopi, founded DLS Studios — a full-fledged post-production facility that quickly became one of the busiest in the city. Similarly, Mohanlal launched Vismayas Max Studios in Kochi in 2006, expanding from his original base in Thiruvananthapuram. "Now known as Aries Vismayas Max,the studio has grown into one of the region's most technically advanced facilities, serving both Malayalam and other South Indian language productions," Vinod says. 'Colour Planet' -- a joint venture of Fahadh, Dileesh Pothan and Shyam Pushakaran -- started an advanced post-production DI studio in the city, specialising in colour correction and grading. 'Sapthaa Records' which established the first Atmos studio in Kochi, in 2020 became a favourite among South Indian filmmakers. The studio has provided services for nearly 200 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, including notable titles like Kanthara. Kerala now does not depend on Hyderabad for good sound designing technology. "Currently we have two Dolby Atmos mixing facilities in Kochi and many more are to come. Specialised sound mixing facilities for OTT release are available in Kochi's studios. Many more Malayalam movies are coming with Dolby Atmos, as the number of Dolby Atmos theatres are increasing in the state," sound designer Dan Jose says. Over the past five years, most music studios associated with the Malayalam film industry have also relocated from Chennai to Kochi and popular musicians like Bijipal, Deepak Dev and Alphons have their own studios in the city. "Many talented musicians from Kerala are now able to stay and work within the state, instead of seeking opportunities elsewhere. With studios in Kochi, costs are lower and the overall environment is comfortable and thriving. Currently, only foreign-style string and brass recordings are done in Chennai. But even that may soon shift to Kochi, making the city self-sufficient in the orchestral segment as well," Deepak Dev says.
