Row over ‘Bharata’: CBFC wants Malayalam film’s title changed at last moment

Malayalam film Oru Bharata Sarkar Ulpannam, after being cleared with a “U” certificate, has run into trouble less than a week before its scheduled release, courtesy the word “Bharata” in its title. The Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) has suddenly decided that it cannot approve the title with the word “Bharata” in it and sent a notice to the makers asking them to change it.

‘Oru Bharata Sarkar Ulpannam’ in Malayalam literally translates to “A Bharat Government Produce”. The satire, directed by TV Ranjith and written by Nizam Rawther, follows the lives of Pradeep and his wife in a Kerala village. Even though Pradeep has had a sterilization procedure, he finds out his wife is pregnant, causing turmoil in their otherwise peaceful life.

Balancing entertainment and realism

This film is a captivating blend of sociopolitical family drama, seamlessly interwoven with humour that permeates every scene from start to finish. It effortlessly navigates between lighthearted comedic sequences and moments of intense suspense throughout the entire narrative.

What truly sets it apart is its ability to strike a perfect balance between entertainment and realism. The script is not only interesting but also thought-provoking, tackling societal issues in a way that feels authentic and relatable.

Nothing controversial, say makers

According to the makers, there is nothing controversial or contentious about the plot. They emphasize that the storyline and themes explored in the film are intended to be universally relatable and non-provocative. With this assurance, audiences can expect a straightforward and engaging viewing experience without any need for concern over any controversial content.

Bhavani Films, the producers, said in a statement that they had registered the title of the film with the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce a year and a half ago, and it was approved without a hassle. Even the film’s trailer, with the same title, was viewed weeks ago by the same CBFC and even released in the theatres, it said.

“But now, out of the blue, the CBFC is asking us to withdraw it. We have already printed posters and put up hoardings all over the state, assuming everything was fine since the trailer was approved,” the statement said.

“Baffling” response

Director TV Ranjith said they found the reason for objection “baffling”. “The CBFC gave the film a U certificate (fit for unrestricted public exhibition) after reviewing it, but then they hit us with this notice. When we questioned why they objected to the title if there were no issues with the film’s content, their response was baffling — they said we can’t use ‘Bharata’ in the title,” he narrated.

The makers have decided to change the title because the other options were not feasible. “Changing the printed posters would cost us a fortune, and we have already postponed the release once due to a theatre strike. Delaying it again is just not an option. The CBFC suggested that we appeal to the National Review Committee if we want to keep the original title, but that could take ages,” explained Subish Sudhi, who portrays the central character in the film and is also a producer.

“So, we are changing the film’s title to Oru Sarkar Ulpannam (A Government Produce) instead of Oru Bharata Sarkar Ulpannam, but not without voicing our protest, Subish Sudhi asserted. They have decided to strike out or blacken the word “Bharata” in the posters.

CBFC plays down issue

CBFC officials, however, have dismissed the matter as a non-issue, shrugging off any concerns raised about the film. “It’s really not a big issue at all. The committee just thought the title didn’t quite fit our guidelines. So, we talked to the producer about it, and they were fine with making the change,” CBFC regional officer Nadeem Thufail told The Federal.

“Honestly, there’s nothing more to it than that. It’s all just standard procedure. We haven’t made any changes to the actual content of the film — it’s all as it was before,” he asserted.