The original release date of Suresh Gopi’s upcoming courtroom drama Janaki Vs State of Kerala was slated for Friday, the 27th of June. But the film has faced an obstacle for its smooth release as CBFC (Central Board For Film Certification) has demanded a change in the film’s title along with a change in the name of the titular character.
According to a report in The Hindu, the film’s director said that the film will not release this Friday and that the CBFC had denied a screening certificate for the film. The director Pravin Narayanan says in this report that CBFC had asked for the titular character of the film ‘Janaki’ to be renamed and also be changed from the film’s title, as it is “also the name of Goddess Sita”. The filmmaker believes this will damage the film immensely.
The character of Janaki is being played by Anupama Parameswaran. The other lead character in the film is Union Minster of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi. This was supposed to be first movie release after taking charge as union minster. The minister hasn’t yet responded to the issue. The filmmakers haven’t yet received any official communication from the CBFC stating their objections.
B. Unnikrishnan, the general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) had reacted very strongly against the CBFC. He also said the federation would protest if the board continued to make such demands, reports said.
From the promotional material of the film, the courtroom drama is said to be about the legal fight of a woman against the State government. In a similar case, another film named Token Number faced obstacles for the lead name of its protagonist. In that case, the makers had to change the name of the lead from Janaki to Jayanti.
