Changing Film Titles Is Causing Creative Suffocation, Says Gopi Mohan
A film is promoted across various platforms with a chosen title, and asking for a change at the censor stage is unfortunate.
Tollywood is witnessing a worrying new trend, with CBFC members in Hyderabad raising objections to film titles, forcing filmmakers to make last-minute changes. Several recent cases have sparked concern within the industry, with writers and producers calling it an infringement on creative freedom.
Recently, Santosh Sobhan’s romantic drama Couple Friendly was issued an ‘A’ certificate by the CBFC, reportedly due to objections to its title. The makers were asked to rename the film Friendly Couple, a suggestion they chose not to accept. Last month, a small film titled Vanara faced a similar issue, prompting the team to change its title to Vanaveera. Likewise, a film starring Suhas and Shivani Nagaram, directed by Gopi Atchara, was forced to change its title from Hey Bhagawan! to Hey Balwanth. Earlier, Valmiki was changed to Gaddala Konda Ganesh among others.
Reacting to the growing issue, noted writer Gopi Mohan expressed strong displeasure. “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 of a movie. Some titles have an energy of their own—it’s a necessity, not a choice,” he said.
He further added, “Filmmakers are responsible toward society and are careful while fixing titles. Forcing a title change affects creative freedom and puts makers in an awkward situation. A film is promoted across various platforms with a chosen title, and asking for a change at the censor stage is unfortunate. It also impacts collections, as introducing a new title at the last moment is risky.”
Gopi Mohan pointed out that several films such as Baahubali, Arjun Reddy, Mahanati, Pelli Choopulu, and the upcoming Varanasi have become brands because their titles effectively convey the film’s content. “Out of nearly 200 titles, perhaps only three or four may be objectionable. Decades ago, the film Bhagwan, starring Krishnam Raju, cleared the censors. But today, Hey Bhagawan! had to be changed to Hey Balwanth. We don’t know what rules have changed in between,” he remarked.
Speculating further, he said, “Maybe now there is an attempt to protect Hindu gods or names associated with them, as even Sri Chidambaram was changed to Sri Chidambaram Garu. But I’m not entirely sure.”
Echoing similar concerns, a producer revealed that censor officials claim they are facing pressure from higher authorities in Mumbai and New Delhi to insist on title changes, without offering detailed explanations.
Meanwhile, actor Shiva Kandukuri confirmed facing a similar situation. “It is true that censor officials raised objections to our film’s title. We changed it from Chai Wala to Nawab Café and are now trying to reach out to the audience,” he said.
The repeated instances have triggered a broader debate within the Telugu film industry over creative autonomy and the need for greater clarity and consistency in censor guidelines.
