NEW DELHI: The Kerala High Court has asked the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to grant exemption to the film "Ka Bodyscapes" in a week’s time.

This follows a petition by the filmmaker Jayan Cherian who had been told by the forthcoming International Film festival of Kerala (IFFK) that he would not be permitted to show his film as the Ministry had refused to exempt it.

Under the existing rules, any film selected for an international festival in India is expected to get ministerial clearance if not certified by the CBFC. The Festival is commencing on 9 December 2016.

IFFK officials had asked Cherian to get exemption by 25 November. The exemption is necessary as the film was not cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification.

In the case of Ka Bodyscapes, the certification body had refused to certify it on the grounds that it insulted Hindu religion and there’s a writ petition pending before the High Court in this regard.