Amid the ongoing controversy over the Malayalam film ‘Janaki vs the State of Kerala’, actor and screenwriter Murali Gopy took to social media to strongly criticise the censorship of art.

On Wednesday, the makers of Janaki vs the State of Kerala agreed to the Censor Board’s directives to modify the film’s title and mute specific dialogues.

In a cryptic post on Facebook, Murali Gopy quoting renowned American filmmaker and historian Henry Louis Gates Jr.: “Censorship is to art as lynching is to justice.” Though he did not directly reference the film, his words were seen as a clear critique of the decision.

 

The makers of Janaki vs the State of Kerala informed the High Court on Wednesday that they had accepted the Censor Board’s recommendation to rename the film as ‘Janaki V or V Janaki’ and mute specific dialogues. The Censor Board had previously refused to grant certification, after claiming that the name “Janaki” was associated with Sita from the Ramayana and could hurt religious sentiments. This prompted the filmmakers to approach the High Court for relief.

Earlier, L2: Empuraan, the Mohanlal-starrer scripted by Murali Gopy, also came under the Censor Board's scanner. The film faced criticism from right-wing groups over scenes that were seen as alluding to the Gujarat riots and individuals linked to the incident. In response, the filmmakers altered a character’s name and cut certain scenes. However, Murali Gopy had chosen to remain silent at the time.