There’s more news about the Central Board of Film Certification, this time from Kerala. According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the Kerala High Court has ordered the CBFC to review Jayan Cherian’s Ka Bodyscapes, a film that talks about homosexuality and religion, and grant the film a certificate. Cherian’s film was earlier refused a certificate, with the censor board arguing that the film “portrayed Hindu gods in an obscene light and had contents of nudity”.
“Pahlaj [Nihalani] also suggested that the film should be banned,” Cherian told Mumbai Mirror. “A single bench of the High Court held that the movie has to be watched as a whole instead of refusing to give a certificate based on certain clips and parts,” added the publication. “The judge also permitted the Board to modify or delete certain scenes if they find it objectionable but ruled against banning it altogether.”
Cherian’s debut Papilio Buddha (2013), which explores Dalit identity politics in Kerala, also faced censorship issues. It was eventually cleared after a scene featuring a speech in which BR Ambedkar criticises Mahatma Gandhi was muted.