'Jana Nayagan' censor row: Mahendran slams censor roadblock as unfair and regressive, extends support to 'Master' co-star

Tamil actor Mahendran has slammed the eleventh-hour decision to stall Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan', terming it 'unjust.' Addressing the censor board row, he said the move is setting a dangerous precedent by stalling cinema. Speaking to India Today, Mahendran said India has a rich tradition of free speech and liberties and emphasised that artists should not be curtailed without any sound reason. “To stop a film at the last stage of its release sends a wrong message to artists who depend upon constitutional rights to exercise their free will to create their art, and putting a stop to it at this stage is also absolutely unwarranted,” he said. Mahendran also highlighted the fact that freedom of expression is something that is the backbone of this country. The whole incident concerning 'Jana Nayagan' is very concerning and extremely wrong in his view. "The country thrives on freedom of expression, and that is why this country is so beautiful," he stated, adding that there will be different opinions and perspectives that come across in cinema. Mahendran asked why this was being targeted as there are several films with objectionable content that received clearance in the past while it seems 'Jana Nayagan' is being targeted merely because Vijay is a major star with immense influence.Mahendran denounced the censor board’s decision to deny the movie’s release as a ‘fair blunder,’ especially when the film’s review committee had already given the movie a majority’s approval. The actor revealed that this is the reason the movie had received a U/A certification. Ignoring the allegations that the film would bring bad influence to the society, the actor mentioned that these were not true and only the council had the chance to view the film. He openly declared that Vijay would never partake in a project that could distort societal beliefs or misguide the public.Emphasizing collective filmmaking, Mahendran said 'Jana Nayagan' had several experienced assistant directors, editors, and writers. He argued if there was something wrong in the film, it would not have been in the final print. Suggesting a middle ground, any issues could have been solved by applying a few blurs to the picture and not by stopping it altogether. The producers are still looking forward to a Republic Day release and await a Madras High Court hearing regarding the censor certificate suspension.