'I am scared': Actor Indrans on 'Janaki' title row; film industry stages protest against CBFC
New Delhi: National Award-winning actor Indrans on Monday expressed concern over increasing censorship pressures in the film industry.
“I am scared. I do not know what awaits us when we bring out new films. It is frightening,” said Indrans on Monday, as he joined a growing chorus of voices from the Malayalam film industry protesting the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
His statement came during a day-long protest held in front of the CBFC’s regional office in Thiruvananthapuram. Various associations representing producers, directors, actors, and technicians came together to oppose the board’s reported demand to rename the Suresh Gopi-starrer 'Janaki vs The State of Kerala' in order to secure censorship clearance.
The protestors alleged that the directive, believed to have been issued by CBFC Chairman Prasoon Joshi, amounted to an infringement on freedom of expression and reflected unnecessary religious censorship.
B. Unnikrishnan, director, producer, and General Secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), told PTI Videos that while the ultimate decision on a film’s title lies with the producer, the protest was about the broader issue of censorship and creative freedom.
“They are raising objections based on the use of certain names and are refusing to issue censorship certificates. Cinema transcends religious or caste considerations, and we cannot allow this to continue,” he said.
Unnikrishnan further noted that the Malayalam film industry, though small in scale, “will not remain silent in the face of such attacks on creative freedom.”
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam also attended the protest in solidarity and took aim at the ruling government. He said actor Suresh Gopi, who also serves as a Minister of State in the Central Government, should reflect on how his government is "stifling freedom of expression."
The film at the centre of the controversy, directed by Pravin Narayanan and co-starring Anupama Parameswaran, reportedly tells the story of a woman named Janaki who takes legal action against the state after facing assault. According to sources, the CBFC denied clearance, allegedly objecting to the use of the name ‘Janaki’, a name associated with Goddess Sita, for such a character.