JSK film controversy: CBFC grants censor certificate to Suresh Gopi film Janaki V vs State of Kerala

The film Janaki VS State of Kerala has been granted a release certificate by the censor board after seven revisions.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has granted a release certificate to the film 'Janaki V vs. State of Kerala' after the makers agreed to implement seven revisions. The re-edited version was approved by the board, and the film is expected to be released soon. The courtroom scenes in the film have been edited, and the title has been slightly modified. The name 'Janaki' has been muted in six instances during the courtroom sequences. The CBFC had previously instructed the filmmakers to change the title, and the producers had informed the High Court of their willingness to comply.

The CBFC clarified to the court that it did not demand 96 cuts, as previously reported. The board had two primary requests: muting the name 'Janaki' during the cross-examination scene and changing the film's title. The producers agreed to mute the name. They were also asked to change the title from 'Janaki V' or 'V Janaki' to include the full name of the title character, Janaki Vidhyadharan.

The CBFC's affidavit stated that the use of the name 'Janaki,' a synonym for Sita in the Ramayana, was intentional and could offend a particular religious community. The questions posed by the lawyer to Janaki during the cross-examination scene, such as whether she uses drugs or watches pornographic videos, were deemed inappropriate. The CBFC argued that using the name 'Janaki' could create misunderstandings among the public, especially since the film is being released in five languages, including Malayalam. The portrayal of a character from another religion helping Janaki was also seen as having ulterior motives.