Madras High Court Stays Order on 'Jana Nayagan' Censor Certificate

Vijay’s much-anticipated film Jana Nayagan has suffered a major legal setback, with the Madras High Court on Tuesday setting aside a single-judge order that had directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant the movie a censor certificate. The decision has further delayed the film’s theatrical release, leaving its release date uncertain.

A division bench of the high court observed that the earlier order was passed without giving adequate opportunity to the CBFC to file its counter. The court clarified that Jana Nayagan cannot be released in theatres unless it receives clearance from the censor board, which is mandatory under law. With the single-judge directive now overturned, the film remains uncertified, halting all release plans.

The censor certificate dispute will now be heard afresh by the Madras High Court. Earlier, on January 20, the court had reserved its verdict in the matter and was expected to pronounce the order on January 27. However, the fresh ruling has effectively reset the legal process, prolonging uncertainty around the project.

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Jana Nayagan, produced by KVN Productions, was originally scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on January 9, ahead of the Pongal festival. Just days before its planned release, the CBFC informed the producers that the film had been referred to a revising committee following a complaint, triggering the legal battle. The makers had argued that the delay was unjustified and sought immediate relief from the court.

In what initially appeared to be a breakthrough, the Madras High Court had earlier directed the CBFC to issue a UA certificate once certain modifications were made. However, the censor board challenged that order, leading the division bench to stay the directive and post the case for further hearing after the Pongal holidays.

Following this, KVN Productions approached the Supreme Court seeking an expeditious hearing. The apex court, however, declined to intervene and asked the filmmakers to pursue their case before the Madras High Court instead, dealing a further blow to hopes of an early release.

Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan is being billed as Vijay’s final film before he steps into politics full-time. The film also features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain, and Priyamani in key roles. With legal proceedings still underway, fans will now have to wait longer to see the actor’s much-talked-about swansong on the big screen.

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