A film where the lead character is a rape survivor who decides to take on the system sounds powerful, right? Janaki Vs State of Kerala is one such film. But it got stalled not because of graphic scenes or foul language, but because the survivor is named Janaki. Janaki is a common name in India. But in the eyes of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it’s suddenly a hotbed of controversy because it also happens to be another name for the goddess Sita. That’s the heart of the Janaki vs State of Kerala controversy, where the CBFC’s objection to the name has sparked a national debate about censorship, context, and creative freedom.

Janaki Vs State of Kerala controversy

Directed by Pravin Narayanan, the Malayalam film was supposed to release on June 27, but it didn’t. The regional censor board in Kerala gave it a U/A certificate without issue. But when the filmmakers sent it to the CBFC for final approval, the board halted the process and claimed that using the name Janaki might hurt religious sentiments.

So, Janaki can’t be a rape survivor because she shares her name with a goddess? Here we are, in 2025, watching moral and religious scrutiny overshadow a fictional character’s name, while the film’s actual message of justice, strength, and survival gets pushed aside.

Thankfully, the Kerala High Court has hauled up the CBFC, clearly unimpressed with its nitpicking. The court asked what the problem was. “She is the victim? If a rapist is named Rama, Krishna, Janaki, I may be able to understand. Here, she is a heroine fighting for the cause of justice,” Justice Nagaresh reflected. The court highlighted that nobody raised objections when filmmakers used religiously rooted names in films like Ram Lakhan or Seeta Aur Geeta. The court noted that it’s the creative freedom of directors and storytellers to name their characters anything they want.

Kerala’s film fraternity has rallied behind the filmmakers. In a brilliantly symbolic move demanding an end to censorship, they even dumped a pair of scissors into a bin outside the CBFC office in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala High Court has given the CBFC until July 2 to explain itself and give solid reasons for stalling the film’s release. And honestly, it’s going to be tough for the board to justify this without looking incredibly out of touch.

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