In a significant legal victory for actor Vijay and the makers of his upcoming film 'Jana Nayagan', the Madras High Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to immediately issue a U/A certificate for the movie. The court's order, delivered on Friday, January 9, provides major relief to the film's team after a contentious review process.
Court Slams CBFC Chairperson's Intervention
Justice PT Asha, while pronouncing the order, made scathing observations about the complaint that had stalled the certification. The judge stated that after examining all materials, it was "crystal clear that the complainant's grievance appears to be an after thought". The court further warned that entertaining such complaints could set a "dangerous trend" for the film industry.
The High Court specifically addressed a letter uploaded by the CBFC chairperson on January 6, declaring it to be "without jurisdiction" and lacking any legal power. Justice Asha explained that the certification process was effectively complete once the CBFC's examining committee had recommended a U/A certificate with certain cuts.
"Exercise of power by the chairperson is without jurisdiction since the power of chairperson to send for review stood abdicated after he, on behalf of committee informed that UA certificate would be granted subject to incisions," the court noted in its order.
High Court's Decisive Action and Industry Support
Consequently, the Madras High Court exercised its constitutional authority to set aside the CBFC chairperson's letter. The bench then issued a direct order to the CBFC to grant the U/A certificate to 'Jana Nayagan' without any further delay. The petition filed by the film's team was fully allowed by the court, which had reserved its order on Wednesday after hearing arguments from both sides.
Following the court's decision, several actors from the Tamil film industry expressed solidarity with Vijay. Actor Jiiva posted on social media, "When the wait gets longer, the impact gets bigger. Always beside you... You are truly our Janangalin Nayagan. We are coming – Delayed but not defeated!"
Harish Kalyan shared his disappointment as a fan, writing, "Jananayagan's delay hurts badly. But the celebrations are only postponed." Actor Jai also voiced support, stating that overcoming obstacles was nothing new for Vijay and that the film's release day would be like Pongal for him.
Release Postponed Despite Legal Win
Despite the favorable court verdict, the makers of 'Jana Nayagan' did not proceed with the planned release on January 9. The production house had already announced a postponement earlier, citing "unavoidable circumstances beyond our control".
In an emotional note, the team acknowledged the audience's anticipation and stated the decision to delay was not easy. "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 statement read. The producers promised to announce a new release date at the earliest and requested patience and continued support from fans.
With the legal hurdle now cleared by the Madras High Court's firm order, industry observers and fans alike expect the film to hit theaters soon, potentially making the celebrations even bigger after the unexpected delay. The court's strong stance against what it deemed an overreach of authority by the CBFC chairperson is seen as an important precedent for film certification processes in India.
