JSK movie producers agree to title modification, two cuts
The second modification will be the muting or editing of the name 'Janaki' in two scenes. The bench of Justice N Nagaresh accordingly directed the petitioners, Cosmos Entertainments, to submit the film's modified version for certification and instructed CBFC to issue a censor certificate within three days of submission. HC adjourned the matter to Wednesday.
The production company had approached HC seeking a directive to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a censor certificate to the Suresh Gopi-starrer Malayalam movie within a stipulated time frame, as it was originally scheduled for release on June 27.
Meanwhile, CBFC maintained that the title and the lead character's name had to be changed, as using the name Janaki, another name for Goddess Sita, violated Guideline 2(12) of the film certification rules, which prohibits visuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious, or other groups.
The board had also proposed 96 cuts in the film, including all instances of the word Janaki. Following the last hearing on July 2, Justice Nagaresh watched the movie at a private studio in Kochi on July 5.
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During the hearing on Wednesday morning, Adv Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for CBFC, reiterated the board's suggestion seeking two changes –– adding the initial 'V' to the lead character's name in the title since her father's character is named Vidyadharan and muting or substituting the word Janaki in two scenes. Adv Haris Beeran, the petitioner's counsel, sought time to get instructions from his client, and HC adjourned the matter to 1:45pm.
In the post-lunch session, Beeran informed court that while the petitioners were willing to accept the muting of the name in the two scenes, altering the title would cause significant financial strain due to the need for fresh promotional work. HC then suggested including a disclaimer at the movie's beginning, clarifying that the character Janaki bears no religious association. However, Chandrachud insisted on the inclusion of the initial V in the title.
HC then adjourned the matter again to 3pm.
When the hearing resumed, Beeran informed HC that the petitioners were now willing to accept both modifications suggested by CBFC.
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