'Jana Nayagan' censor row: Thalapathy Vijay starrer moves to the Supreme Court, appeal to be heard soon - Report

Thalapathy Vijay starrer 'Jana Nayagan', which is highly anticipated and a hot topic currently, silently fell through the cracks and went off the radar when its sought-after censor certificate failed to arrive on time, resulting in not just court battles featuring powerful lawyers but also an indefinite delay in the film's release. A recent development has added to the legalities of the Vijay's swansong film.

Makers move Supreme Court against interim stay

In a latest development, the makers of 'Jana Nayagan' have approached the Supreme Court, challenging the interim stay imposed by the Madras High Court on the film’s certification. According to Nakkheeran, the production house has sought urgent listing of the appeal and requested that the matter be taken up as early as January 12. This move comes after the High Court’s division bench stayed the single judge’s direction to issue a U/A 16+ certificate, effectively blocking the film’s immediate release.

Censor dispute and High Court proceedings

The matter is related to January 6, a time when the production house approached the Madras High Court with an urgent application regarding a lack of certification. During the process, the Censor Board informed the court of a complaint about a scene in the film that could be deemed religiously offensive, and therefore the cause of recertification. Justice Asha asked how a member of the certification committee could file a complaint in an individual capacity and why the film was up for review after coming under the scanner of certification. The board said that a symbol of defence forces was used without expertise, but without any hidden agenda.

Interim stay deepens uncertainty over release

On January 9, Justice Asha directed the censor board to issue a U/A 16+ certificate to the film. However, the order was swiftly challenged by the board before a division bench led by the Chief Justice. The bench grilled the makers of the film for announcing the date of release before the certification from the censor board was in place and granted an interim stay on the order of the single judge with the next hearing listed for January 21. With the issue landing in the Supreme Court, the release of 'Jana Nayagan' now rests squarely on the top court where the sitting could further delay the release of the film.

Disclaimer: This report is based on current judicial filings and reports from legal correspondents. As the matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court of India, all information regarding hearing dates and film certification is subject to change based on the court’s official orders. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a guarantee of the film's release date.