A lawyer based in Kochi approached the Central Council for Film Certification (CBFC), Mumbai and sought a list of gods, goddesses and sacred religious names to avoid them and name the characters in his proposed film.
Lawyer Haresh Vasudevan searched for a list through an application submitted by the provisions of the Act on the Information Act.
This step comes as a result of CBFC protesting against the use of the name “Janaki” for the character in Malayalam Janaki V/S State of Kerala. The filmmakers eventually agreed to add the initial “V” to the name of Janaki as a compromise step to the release of the film in theaters.
Referring to the objections raised by the Council, Mr. Vasudevan tried to know the source of information on which the Council relied on to identify Janaki as the name of God.
He was looking for a “list of names of the goddess in India” to allow him to avoid using such names in the proposed film depicting a woman as a victim of sexual assault and rape so that “he could” avoid undermining the dignity and sacredness of such gods or their names “.
Mr. Vasudevan, who said he wanted to appoint a character who committed sexual assault, also sought “a list of names of gods in India and sacred religious names” to “avoid the name of this character with such names that bear religious feelings and can undermine the dignity and sanctity of such names or gods”.
Published – 11 July 2025 20:21 is
