The release of superstar Vijay's much-anticipated film, 'Jana Nayagan', remains stuck in uncertainty due to an ongoing tussle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). As the legal battle continues in the Madras High Court, the controversy has sparked a wider debate on film censorship in India. Veteran filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) has now launched a scathing attack on the very concept of the censor board, calling it outdated and irrelevant.
RGV's Blunt Critique: Censor Board is a 'Joke'
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Ram Gopal Varma expressed strong support for Vijay and questioned the continued existence of the CBFC. He argued that the board was established in an era of state-controlled media, which no longer reflects today's reality.
"CENSOR BOARD is OUTDATED," Varma wrote. "Not in the context of just @Actor_Vijay's #JanaNayagan's censor issues but in an overall manner, it is truly foolish to think that the censor board is still relevant today." He added that it has "long outlived its purpose" and is kept alive due to laziness in debating its relevance, a situation for which he holds the film industry responsible.
Varma elaborated that in the current digital age, people of all ages have unrestricted access to extreme content online, from violence to explicit material. "In this reality, for the honourable censor board to believe that cutting a word in a film, trimming a shot, or blurring a cigarette will 'protect society,' is a Joke," he stated.
The Hypocrisy of Censorship in a Digital World
In a detailed thread, the filmmaker contrasted the controlled environment of cinema with the wild west of social media. He pointed out that platforms like YouTube and news channels are filled with "political venom, communal poison, and character assassinations" that are broadcast live and uncensored.
"The same society that freely scrolls through graphic violence on social media suddenly becomes 'concerned' when a filmmaker shows something in a theatre. This hypocrisy is dangerous," Varma asserted. He believes that censorship today does not prevent exposure but merely "insults the viewers" intelligence.
He concluded by defining cinema as a form of expression and entertainment, not a classroom for moral lessons. "They are mirrors, view points, expressions and opinions meant to entertain," he said.
Jana Nayagan's Legal Timeline and Release Status
The core issue revolves around the CBFC's certification delay for Vijay's film. The legal proceedings have seen several developments:
- January 9: Justice PT Asha of the Madras High Court directed the CBFC to certify the film.
- Hours later, a division bench of Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan issued an interim stay on the single judge's order.
- The matter was then scheduled for a hearing on January 21.
Due to this impasse, the film's release has been postponed twice. It was initially slated for January 9, then pushed to January 14. As of now, the producers have not announced a new release date, leaving fans in a state of anticipation.
The controversy has also drawn political comments, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin previously targeting the central government over the CBFC's delay, adding another layer to the ongoing saga.
