'Start, action, no cut': Film actors, directors and producers lined up for 'Janaki'; scissors thrown into dustbin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Film workers protested against the Censor Board's directive to remove the name 'Janaki' from the title and the main character of the Suresh Gopi-starrer 'Janaki vs. State of Kerala'. The protest was held in front of the Regional Censor Board headquarters at Chitranjali Studio premises in Thiruvallam. The protest was carried out by throwing scissors in the dustbin.

FEFKA General Secretary B Unnikrishnan said that the dustbin is where all scissors that do not respect the freedom of the artist end up. When Unnikrishnan said 'Start, action, no cut', those in the front row threw the scissors in the dustbin.

Film organizations FEFKA, AMMA and Kerala Film Producers Association jointly protested. Posters of films with the name Janaki were also displayed.

M Ranjith spoke on behalf of the Producers Association, Ansiba Hasan and Jayan Cherthala on behalf of AMMA, and Poojappura Radhakrishnan on behalf of the serial organization ATMA. Directors Kamal, Sibi Malayil, Shaji Kailas, Vidhu Vincent, film actors Indrans, Maniyanpilla Raju, Baburaj, Sarayu, Jayan Cherthala, Tini Tom, Sohan Seenu, S Kumar, Benny P. Nayarambalam, P. Sreekumar, Poojappura Radhakrishnan and others participated.

CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam and DYFI leaders also arrived to express their support.

"This is anti-democratic. Cutting off the name is unacceptable. The hero of this film is a Union Minister. He doesn't know the law. The strong protest will continue."

- M Ranjith, producer

"My name has the word Kailas in it. Will I be made to cut it off?"

- Shaji Kailas, director