How censorship affects the artistic expression in film

Time of India

04-07-2025

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For filmmakers, cinema is more than entertainment—it's a medium to voice ideas, reflect reality, and challenge norms. But censorship can often shackle this intent.
The recent controversy surrounding 'JSK: Janaki vs.
State of Kerala', starring Suresh Gopi, lays bare the struggle. The CBFC's objection to the character name "Janaki"—a reference also associated with a Hindu goddess—forced the makers into a difficult corner, raising questions about how far creative choices can stretch before crossing invisible lines.
Narratives rewritten, messages muted
Censorship doesn't just trim scenes—it can twist the spine of a story. In JSK's case, the board's refusal to clear the film due to its title and character representation has delayed its release.
Such interference risks muting stories that tackle real, difficult issues like sexual assault. When films are modified to appease sensibilities, their emotional and social impact can be lost.
Janaki vs State Of Kerala - Official Hindi Teaser
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'We are moving backwards' - Actor Vinu Mohan
Speaking to the media regarding the 'JSK' censorship controversy, the 'Nivedhyam' actor Vinu Mohan said, 'There's a sequence I acted in that film, and if the film was released today, I fear I could have invited some issues.
There was a time when art was valued as a form of expression. Sadly, we now seem to be heading towards a mindset where it's more likely to be seen as offensive.'
He further said that censorship would become a norm. The actor added, 'That's why we're protesting — to ensure these incidents don't become a pattern,'
Director Abhinav Sunder Nayak on 'Oppenheimer' censorship - Those scenes were crucial to character exploration
During the time when Christopher Nolan's epic drama film 'Oppenheimer' was released, the Indian audiences were only able to watch the censored version which removed the explicit scenes in the film.
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Reacting to the same, the director Abhinav Sunder Nayak told exclusively to ETimes, 'I cannot arrive at a conclusion whether the censorship of the explicit sequences in the movie has hampered my experience as I have not watched the full version yet. From what I saw from the censored version of 'Oppenheimer', I think Christopher Nolan wanted to explore much into the fact that J Robert Oppenheimer was a womanizer, and the inclusion of those explicit sequences could have worked well as the movie lays emphasis on character study.
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'How can one experience what the director intended to convey?'
The 'Mukundan Unni Associates' director further said that the director's original message gets affected if some pivotal sequences are edited away from the movie. Abhinav further told us, 'From what I saw, I think Nolan wrote the film's story highlighting the sex life of Robert Oppenheimer and that should be also viewed from a psychological perspective.
If those pivotal sequences are cut away from the movie then how can one experience what the director intended to convey? I really can't point out what all I have missed from that character's life journey.
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Fear of silence, fear of repercussions
Perhaps the most damaging consequence is the unseen one: fear. The fear that bold content won't make it past the board often leads to self-censorship. 'JSK's struggle has stirred Kerala's film fraternity to protest—not just for one film, but for every story waiting to be told without fear.