Vijay’s much-anticipated film ‘Jana Nayagan’ hits a legal roadblock as the Supreme Court refuses to fast-track CBFC certification. Fans now wait anxiously while the Madras High Court takes up the matter on January 20.
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Tamil superstar-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay’s much-anticipated movie ‘Jana Nayagan’ is in the middle of a legal tug-of-war, and it looks like fans will have to wait a little longer before their hero lights up the big screen. The Supreme Court on January 15 refused to fast-track the film’s release.
KVN Productions LLP, the film’s producer, ran to the Supreme Court after hitting a roadblock with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). They wanted a green light for the Pongal release, claiming more than 5,000 theatres were booked and insisting it’s “normal industry practice” to announce a release before certification.
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But the Supreme Court bench, led by Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih, was unimpressed. The judges pointed out that the Madras High Court’s Division Bench is already scheduled to hear the case on January 20.
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Justice Datta remarked that the single bench of the High Court had disposed of the matter in a hurry, within just one day, and that the CBFC Chairperson’s order of January 6, which referred the film to a Revising Committee, had never been challenged.
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‘Jana Nayagan’ was supposedly Vijay’s last film, and excitement was sky-high, especially since he’s now officially in politics with his own party, TVK. A Pongal release on January 9 seemed perfect. But then the CBFC threw a wrench in the works.
Here’s what happened, in order:
– The Examining Committee at the CBFC Chennai office initially agreed to certify the film U/A 16+, provided certain edits took place.
– The producers made those changes and submitted the revised film on December 24, 2025.
– By December 29, the Regional Office confirmed certification. But the producers ran into technical glitches while uploading the final version. They informed the CBFC.
– On January 5, the CBFC Chairperson referred the film to the Revising Committee, following a complaint about “hurting religious sentiments” and “portrayal of armed forces.” Ironically, the complaint came from a member of the Examining Committee who had earlier cleared the film.
On January 9, a single bench of the Madras High Court, led by Justice PT Asha, had sided with the producers. The court called out the CBFC Chairperson’s move to refer the film “suo motu” to the Revising Committee as unsustainable. Justice Asha criticised the member of the Examining Committee for changing their mind, warning that such behaviour could erode trust in the CBFC’s decisions.
The single bench ordered the CBFC to certify the film immediately, giving fans hope that Vijay might still hit the screens for Pongal.
No sooner had fans celebrated than the CBFC filed an urgent appeal with the Division Bench, which immediately stayed the single bench’s order. This bench, consisting of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan, has now adjourned the matter to January 20.
The Division Bench had some choice words for the producers:
– Announcing a release date before CBFC clearance? Not clever.
– Pressuring the court for a “fast decision” because of a planned release? Also not clever.
Basically, the Division Bench hinted that KVN Productions jumped the gun, trying to turn a legal matter into a public relations frenzy.
So where does that leave the audience? If you were ready to catch Vijay in all his last-film glory, you may need to adjust your Pongal plans. The CBFC revising committee still needs to weigh in and the High Court Division Bench hearing is next week. So, there is no guarantee when the movie will release.
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