In a significant judicial reversal, the Madras High Court has suspended the censorship clearance for Tamil superstar Vijay’s highly anticipated film ‘Jana Nayagan,’ creating substantial obstacles for the political drama’s theatrical release. A division bench led by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan overturned a previous single-judge ruling that had mandated India’s Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a ‘U/A 16+’ certificate for the project.
The judicial panel determined that the lower court had acted prematurely by not allowing adequate time for the CBFC to present its counter-affidavit regarding certification concerns. The case has now been remanded back to the single judge for renewed proceedings, with permission for the producers to modify their legal petition.
This development represents the latest chapter in an ongoing censorship battle that has delayed the film’s scheduled January 9 release during the lucrative Pongal festival season. The CBFC had initially withheld certification, citing concerns that specific scenes might offend religious sensibilities and referring the matter to a Revising Committee for additional evaluation.
The production team, led by producer K Venkat Narayana, had previously sought urgent judicial intervention to compel certification after the CBFC declined clearance. While the single judge initially provided temporary relief by ordering certification, the division bench subsequently stayed this order on January 9, effectively halting the release process.
The significance of ‘Jana Nayagan’ extends beyond entertainment circles, as industry observers note this marks Vijay’s final cinematic project before his full transition into politics through his recently established Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party. The continued postponement represents both commercial and symbolic setbacks for the actor-politician’s carefully orchestrated career transition.