Pressure from CBFC Over ‘Janaki’
To ensure release, M.B. Padmakumar accommodated certification requests to rename the protagonist from "Janaki.
During the certification process for Token Number, regulatory authorities raised reservations regarding the protagonist’s name, "Janaki," due to sensitive cultural and contextual interpretations. To ensure the film’s timely public release and protect the immense collaborative effort of an independent production, director M.B. Padmakumar chose to respectfully accommodate the board’s feedback by renaming the lead character to "Jayanthi." While creative compromises are challenging for any filmmaker, this decision was made in good faith to allow the work to finally reach its audience.
Press Clippings & Media References
Verified press coverage, newspaper clippings, online features, and broadcast interviews related to this release.
CBFC made demands for Janaki name change through informal ways: Filmmaker M.B. Padmakumar
“Although his film was cleared by the regional office of the CBFC, censor officials from the CBFC headquarters in Mumbai refused to certify the film until he changed the name of either of the protagonists”
