Overview

• High Court directed the CBFC to submit a formal notice explaining its demand to change ‘Janaki’ due to religious sensitivities by the next hearing on June 30
• Cosmos Entertainment challenged the delay after the Revising Committee in Mumbai overturned a U/A clearance granted by a regional panel and flagged the name ‘Janaki’ for its association with Goddess Sita
• Justice N Nagaresh questioned the board’s rationale by citing films like Seeta Aur Geeta and Ram Lakhan that previously used mythological names without objection
• The postponement of the film’s scheduled June 27 release highlights inconsistencies between regional and central CBFC certification practices
• Malayalam film industry organisations led by FEFKA will stage a one-day protest at the Thiruvananthapuram CBFC office on June 30 to denounce the board’s “arbitrary” decision