KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday observed that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cannot dictate film titles or storylines to directors and artists. Justice N Nagaresh made this remark while hearing a petition from Cosmos Entertainments, the producer of the film “JSK – Janaki vs State of Kerala,” starring Union Minister Suresh Gopi.

The petition sought a directive to the CBFC to issue a censor certificate for the film. The court directed the CBFC to clarify its objections to the film’s title, “Janaki,” and emphasised that the case cannot be indefinitely adjourned. The hearing has been scheduled for July 2.

During the hearing, the court questioned the rationale behind the CBFC’s objection to the title and character name “Janaki. “What is wrong with the title or the name of the character ‘Janaki’? That is the freedom of artists. You (CBFC) cannot interfere in that. The freedom not absolute, but the Board must have a convincing reason to show how the name ‘Janaki’ is contemptuous of racial, religious, or other groups,” said the court.

The court noted that in the film, ‘Janaki’ is portrayed as a heroine fighting for justice. In India, many names have religious significance, whether they are Hindu, Christian, or Muslim such as Ahamed, Anthony, and Raman. “80 percent of names in India have religious connotations. Now, will the Board dictate to directors and artists what names they should use and what stories they should tell? Is that correct?” the court asked.