How did CBFC identify ‘Janaki’ as a goddess? Harish Vasudevan files RTI seeking list of names barred in films
Vasudevan also sought a list of goddess names in India to avoid unintentionally using names considered sacred in characters depicting victims of sexual violence in his upcoming movie.
Vasudevan also sought a list of goddess names in India to avoid unintentionally using names considered sacred in characters depicting victims of sexual violence in his upcoming movie.
Vasudevan also sought a list of goddess names in India to avoid unintentionally using names considered sacred in characters depicting victims of sexual violence in his upcoming movie.
Kochi: Amid the ongoing row over the Malayalam film Janaki vs State of Kerala, Kerala-based lawyer and environmentalist Harish Vasudevan has filed a Right to Information (RTI) application seeking clarity on how the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) determined that the name "Janaki" is religious or divine.
In his application to the Central Public Information Officer of the CBFC in Mumbai, Vasudevan requests access to documents and reasoning behind the affidavit filed by the CBFC CEO before the Kerala High Court, where the Board opposed the film’s certification.
“It is seen that the name Janaki is identified as the name of a goddess. Provide me the source of information that CBFC relied on to identify Janaki as the name of god,” the RTI query states.
Vasudevan also sought a list of goddess names in India to avoid unintentionally using names considered sacred in characters depicting victims of sexual violence in his upcoming movie. He also asks for a list of god names and religiously significant names to avoid assigning such names to perpetrators of sexual assault in the film, aiming to prevent potential offence.
"Name of god is a new ground raised which we can’t find in the Act or Rules. It is shocking. They must have a list of such names to object to in the future as well. We live in a nation where absurdity has been cited as a basis for rejecting certification. I’m trying to find out the depth of absurdity to which they can travel," Vasudevan told Onmanorama.
The RTI petition stresses that the information is being sought in public interest to improve transparency and accountability in CBFC’s decisions, and to ensure proper implementation of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The time frame of documents requested spans from January 1, 2020, to July 7, 2025.
The CBFC had refused certification to the film, objecting to the use of the name "Janaki" for a rape survivor character--arguing it is another name for Goddess Sita and that such portrayal would hurt religious sentiments. The Board also flagged a courtroom scene in which the protagonist is cross-examined by a lawyer from another religion, who asks invasive and sexually suggestive questions. According to the CBFC, this scene risks disturbing communal harmony and public order.
Janaki vs State of Kerala, also marketed as JSK, is an upcoming legal drama starring Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran, directed by Pravin Narayanan. After the CBFC initially demanded 96 cuts and a name change, the producers approached the Kerala High Court, which held a special screening of the film.
On Wednesday, the CBFC softened its stance and informed the court it would clear the film with just two modifications: changing the title to ‘Janaki V vs State of Kerala’ or ‘V Janaki vs State of Kerala’, and muting the name "Janaki" during the cross-examination scene. Justice Nagaresh has asked the filmmakers to respond to the new suggestion.