Cut, rename, comply: How censor board is shaking South cinema

The censor board's growing interventions are disrupting South film releases. This trend raises serious concerns about creative freedom and the future of South cinema.

For years, the biggest headaches a film producer faced were last-minute release hurdles or disappointing box office numbers. Those concerns have not gone away, but there's another issue that has lately joined the list of obstacles. Titles, dialogues, financial disputes, legal battles – each of these now has the potential to derail a project before audiences even get a chance to see a film. The challenge, increasingly dominating conversations in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam film circles, arrives at the final lap, in the guise of the Central Board of Film Certification, better known as the CBFC or censor board.

What was once an occasional friction point has, in recent months, become a pattern. Demands for title changes, last-minute cuts, and certification decisions that filmmakers describe as erratic, are piling up, raising serious questions about creative freedom and the board's expanding role in shaping what Indian audiences are allowed to watch.

While the censor board taking objection to a title or a few dialogues are nothing new, the cases are mounting with unsettling regularity in recent times. Earlier this month, just before release, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar's debut directorial, Saraswathi, was asked to go for a change in title. The film's name was changed to S Saraswathi, after the board took objection to the use of the goddess' name as the title.

Last year, the Malayalam film Janaki vs State of Kerala faced a similar issue. The CBFC cited religious concerns, noting that 'Janaki' refers to the Hindu goddess Sita, and objected to using the name for a sexual assault victim. The makers approached the court and fought against the 96 cuts demanded, to bring it down to two cuts, and a title modification. The title was subsequently changed to V Janaki vs State of Kerala.

Prior to Saraswathi, the Telugu film Hey Bhagawan! was asked by the censor board to change its title, eventually releasing as Hey Balwanth. A few weeks ago, Telugu actor Santosh Sobhan's film Couple Friendly faced a similar directive, with the board instructing the makers to rename it Friendly Couple. This, despite Couple Friendly essentially being a family drama. The producers chose to reject the demand — and paid the price. The film was released as Couple Friendly, but with an A certificate, effectively shutting out a large portion of its intended audience.

Telugu writer Gopi Mohan does not mince words about what forced title changes mean for a film. "A director finalises a title after evaluating hundreds of options and registers it for the film. A title carries the soul, essence and core idea. Some titles have an energy of their own — it's a necessity, not a choice. Forcing a title change affects creative freedom and puts makers in an awkward situation," he told Deccan Chronicle.