Jana Nayagan Release in Limbo Over Censor Delay

The much-anticipated global release of actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s final film, Jana Nayagan, scheduled for January 9, 2026, now hinges on a decision by the Madras High Court. The ruling, expected on Wednesday, January 7, follows a petition filed by KVN Productions LLP against delays in obtaining the censor certificate.

Judge Requests Complete Records from CBFC

On January 6, Justice P.T. Asha directed Additional Solicitor General A.R.L. Sundaresan, representing the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to present all relevant records to the court, including complaints received regarding the film’s content. The judge emphasized that these records should be available by Wednesday due to the imminent release date.

Production Firm Cites Financial and Reputational Damage

Senior counsel Satish Parasaran, aided by advocate Vijayan Subramanian, argued that the delay was causing irreparable harm to KVN Productions LLP, both financially and reputationally. The production company has invested nearly ₹500 crore into the project and had planned to release the film across 5,000 screens nationwide.

Post-Production Completed, CBFC Delays Certification

The production house completed all post-production work by December 15, 2025, and submitted the film to the CBFC on December 18. The examining committee subsequently recommended a U/A 16+ certification, subject to certain cuts and modifications, which the producers promptly executed. The modified version was submitted on December 24. Despite these steps, the CBFC reportedly remained unresponsive for almost 10 days, prompting multiple reminders from the production team.

Referral to Revising Committee Sparks Controversy

On January 5, the Chennai Regional Officer of the CBFC informed KVN Productions that the film would be referred to the revising committee, an appellate body, citing a complaint regarding scenes allegedly offensive to religious sentiments and the portrayal of armed forces. The production team claimed that the complainant’s identity and the specifics of the complaint were not disclosed. According to Parasaran, only the production team and the CBFC examining committee had viewed the film, making it unlikely that outsiders could comment on its content.

Legal Arguments Against Reopening Certification

Parasaran contended that reopening the certification process on vague and undisclosed grounds, after an initial recommendation, was arbitrary and unlawful. He urged the court to grant U/A 16+ certification for Jana Nayagan. Parasaran warned that accepting anonymous complaints at this stage could set a dangerous precedent, potentially allowing frivolous objections to delay or block films before certification.

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Sorit Chaudhary

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