'Jana Nayagan' Makers Moves SC Over CBFC Certification Stay by Madras HC

The film, initially scheduled for 9 January, remains uncertified and unreleased as legal proceedings continue.

Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan' Release Postponed Amid CBFC Row And Legal Scrutiny

(Photo: Instagram/Vijay)

The producer of the Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring Vijay, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging an interim order by the Madras High Court that stayed a single-judge directive for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant certification.

The film, initially scheduled for release on 9 January 2026, remains uncertified and unreleased as legal proceedings continue. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for later in January.

According to Live Law, KVN Productions LLP, the producer, filed a Special Leave Petition after the Madras High Court’s division bench stayed the single bench’s order that had directed the CBFC to issue a certificate.

The division bench adjourned the matter to 20 January, noting that the single bench had not given the CBFC sufficient opportunity to respond before passing its order.

As reported by Hindustan Times, the dispute began when the CBFC’s Examining Committee initially agreed to grant a U/A 16+ certificate, subject to edits. After the producer made the required changes, a complaint from a committee member led the CBFC Chairperson to refer the film to a Revising Committee, citing concerns over religious sensibilities and the portrayal of the armed forces.

As highlighted by The Hindu, the production house argued that the CBFC Chairperson’s unilateral decision to send the film for further review was contrary to the Examining Committee’s unanimous recommendation. The division bench of the High Court, however, held that the single judge should have allowed the CBFC time to file a counter affidavit before ordering immediate certification.

In its coverage, The News Minute noted that the producer’s petition to the Supreme Court followed the continued stay on certification, which left the film’s release in limbo. The producer stated that technical issues delayed the final uploading of the revised film, and that all CBFC-suggested changes had been accepted prior to the Chairperson’s intervention.

“Such a volte face by a member of an Examining committee who had made a recommendation after viewing and assimilating the film would give rise to a dangerous trend of members reneging on their recommendation and the sanctity placed on the decision of the Examining Committee of the CBFC would stand eroded,” the single bench observed, as cited in the legal proceedings.

As further details emerged, the CBFC’s referral to the Revising Committee was based on a complaint that the film contained scenes potentially hurting religious sentiments and depicting the armed forces in a manner requiring expert review. The division bench’s stay was granted partly because the central government had not been given time to respond to the producer’s plea.

Legal developments have also impacted the Tamil film industry’s release calendar. With Jana Nayagan’s release delayed, other films such as Parasakthi have seen increased box office performance, benefiting from the absence of direct competition during the Pongal festival period.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.