The planned January 9 release of ‘Jana Nayagan’, the much-anticipated film widely billed as actor-politician Vijay’s final appearance on screen, was postponed on Wednesday, hours after the Madras High Court reserved its order on a petition challenging the Central Board of Film Certification’s decision to withhold a censor certificate.
Justice P T Asha, after hearing detailed arguments from both sides, indicated that her verdict may be pronounced only on January 9 – the day the film was scheduled for release across nearly 5,000 screens worldwide.
The writ petition was filed by KVN Productions LLP, the film’s producer, against the non-issuance of a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General A R L Sundaresan, appearing for the CBFC, told the court that the certification process had been reopened after a dissenting member of the examining committee submitted a complaint to the CBFC chairman.
The examining committee, comprising five members, had viewed the film on December 19 and recommended that it be granted a U/A 16+ certificate subject to certain excisions.
According to the CBFC, one member of that committee subsequently wrote to the chairman claiming that his objections had not been adequately recorded before the recommendation was made. On that basis, the chairman decided to refer the film to a revising committee with a larger composition, as permitted under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
Sundaresan argued that the chairman was fully empowered under the rules to take such a step before the issuance of the final certificate. He contended that the production house cannot seek a judicial direction that would effectively restrain a statutory authority from performing its lawful functions.
At best, he said, the court can direct the CBFC to complete its process within prescribed timelines and arrive at a decision one way or the other.
Senior advocate Satish Parasaran, appearing for KVN Productions LLP along with advocate Vijayan Subramanian, argued that the dissent of a single committee member could not outweigh the recommendation of the majority. Of the five members who examined the film, four had favoured certification after recommending 27 specific cuts and modifications, all of which, he said, had already been carried out by the filmmakers.
Parasaran told the court that once the examining committee’s majority recommendation had been complied with in full, the film ought to have been granted the U/A 16+ certificate. He questioned why the production house was not informed of either the identity of the complainant or the substance of the objections raised.
“The CBFC must discharge its duty within the confines of law,” Parasaran said, urging the court to remind the certification authority of its public responsibilities.
Emphasising the scale of the project, he told the court that the producers had invested close to Rs 500 crore in the film and had publicly committed to a January 9 Pongal release. The application for certification, he said, had been filed as early as December 18, and the producers had even opted for the Tatkal procedure to expedite clearance.
Justice Asha heard both sides at length and reserved her order.
Later in the evening, KVN Productions announced that the release of the film had been postponed. “It is with a heavy heart that we share this update with our valued stakeholders and audiences. The release of ‘Jana Nayagan’, eagerly awaited on January 9, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control,” it said.
“We deeply understand the anticipation, excitement, and emotions surrounding this film, and this decision has not been an easy one for any of us.
The new release date will be announced at the earliest,” it said.
Source: The Indian Express
--Agencies
