Sanal Kumar Sasidharan's film S Durga, originally titled Sexy Durga, was refused a screening at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which closes today, due to issues regarding the title. The film fought a long battle to get a screening at the festival, just to be rejected last minute by the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC).
The film was under review by the CBFC was rejected on the grounds that the title was changed from S Durga to S### Durga in the title sequence, which suppposedly had "totally different implications" and was rousing complaints from the jury that viewed the film on Monday.
The film was rejected despite a reported 7-4 jury vote in favour of the film's screening. Director of the festival Sunit Tandon sent an email to Sasidharan stating, "Following the (jury) screening, certain issues related to the certification of the film with reference to the title of the film were raised. This was referred to the CBFC for clarification. As a consequence to the orders of CBFC, the film cannot be exhibited till the issues are resolved."
A protest near the festival's screening facility was organised by Sasidharan and Kannan Nayar, who stars in the film. "It is a bias we are facing. Our film is not Sexy Durga now, it is Sexy Democracy... They are imposing silence on us," said Sasidharan.