Madras High Court stays UA certification for Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, no release until Jan 21

The stay has effectively put the film’s release on hold.

Jana Nayagan, widely described as Vijay’s swansong before he transitioned into full-time politics, was originally slated for release on January 9.

Earlier in the day, a single judge of the High Court had ordered the CBFC to issue a UA certificate after certain modifications were made by the filmmakers, while also criticising the board for entertaining complaints against the film and terming it a “dangerous trend”.

However, soon after the order was passed, the CBFC moved an appeal and sought an urgent hearing before a division bench later in the day.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the producers of Jana Nayagan, while Additional Solicitor General A.R.L. Sundaresan and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the censor board.

Arguing for the CBFC, Sundaresan said the board was not allowed to file a counter-affidavit before the single judge passed the order.

He also contended that while the producers had not challenged the CBFC chairman’s decision to refer the film to a Revising Committee, the single judge had nonetheless quashed that decision.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned how such an order could be passed without allowing the CBFC to place its version on record.

The court also noted the CBFC’s statutory right to refer a film to a Revising Committee.

Raising concerns from another angle, the bench questioned whether the producers had put undue pressure on the court by announcing a release date before obtaining certification.

The Chief Justice observed that the producers ought to have waited for the certification process to conclude before fixing the release.

Rohatgi, appearing for the producers, questioned how a member of the Examining Committee could subsequently file a complaint against the film.

The CBFC, on its part, has maintained that Jana Nayagan features emblems related to the armed forces, which it said require expert examination.

With the stay now in place, there will be no release of Jana Nayagan until the matter is heard again on January 21.

The film’s producers are said to be exploring the option of approaching the Supreme Court.

Earlier, on January 7, KVN Productions had announced the postponement of the film’s release, citing “unavoidable circumstances beyond our control," and assured audiences that a new release date would be announced soon.

Jana Nayagan, which also stars Bobby Deol and Pooja Hegde, was scheduled for a coordinated worldwide release, including in the US, the UK, Malaysia and Canada.