Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ has landed in the Madras High Court after a delay in the censor certificate, even as the makers say all CBFC cuts have been completed.
With the January 9 release date nearing, the pending clearance has put the film’s theatrical plans under uncertainty.
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Just days before fans were ready to celebrate Vijay on the big screen, his upcoming film ‘Jana Nayagan’ found itself stuck in an unexpected pause. Instead of countdown posters and first-day-first-show buzz, the film’s makers are now making courtroom visits. The reason? A censor certificate that hasn’t arrived yet.
With January 9 marked as the release date, the delay has created a lot of unanswered questions.
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KVN Productions, the production house behind ‘Jana Nayagan’, approached the Madras High Court. This happened after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not issue the censor certificate on time.
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The film was submitted for certification on December 18, and according to the makers, the process should have been completed smoothly.
The producers told the court that the film is suitable for a U/A certificate and that they have already followed every instruction given by the certification committee.
All suggested cuts were made without objection. Despite this, the certificate has not been issued, leaving the Indian release in limbo.
Appearing before the court, the counsel for KVN Productions said that there are no pending concerns with the film’s content. According to them, the CBFC members had already watched the film and were initially satisfied.
The problem, they argued, began later when the decision to revisit the certification was allegedly influenced by inputs from someone who had not even watched the film.
The counsel pointed out that if a film needs to be reconsidered, there is a clear procedure to be followed, which includes sending it to a revising committee.
In this case, the producers claim that procedure was not properly followed.
One of the strongest points raised by the petitioners was that ‘Jana Nayagan’ has already received certification in 25 other countries. While international releases are ready to roll, the Indian version remains stalled due to what the makers describe as an administrative delay.
They stressed that the only thing pending now is the formal issuance of the certificate, not any creative or content-related change.
The makers told the court that ‘Jana Nayagan’ was planned as grand simultaneous release in four languages on January 9. With theatres booked and promotions already underway, delay could cause significant commercial losses.
They added that several reminders were sent to authorities requesting certificate. But no action was taken forcing them to seek legal intervention.
Representing the CBFC, Additional Solicitor General Sundaresan questioned why the release date was announced before completing the certification process. He suggested that the urgency was created by the producers themselves.
In response, the court directed the CBFC to submit all documents related to the re-examination committee and the decision-making process.
The case was heard by Justice PT Asha who acknowledged the concerns raised by both sides. The matter has now been adjourned to January 7 with court seeking more clarity from the CBFC. The next hearing is scheduled for 2:15 pm.
For now, fate of ‘Jana Nayagan’’ January 9 release remains uncertain.
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