‘Jana Nayagan’ movie release: Chances of Vijay-starrer hitting screens on January 9 appear bleak

The chances of actor Vijay’s much anticipated movie Jana Nayagan getting released on January 9, 2025 appear bleak as the Madras High Court on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) reserved orders on a writ petition filed by the production house KVN Productions LLP against non-issuance of censor certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Justice P.T. Asha deferred her verdict after hearing the arguments advanced by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan for the CBFC and senior counsel Satish Parasaran, assisted by advocate Vijayan Subramanian, for the production house. The judge indicated that the order may get pronounced only on January 9.

During arguments, the ASG stated one of the five members of a examining committee, which had watched the movie on December 19, had sent a complaint to the CBFC chairman stating his objections were not considered before the committee recommended issuance of U/A 16+ certificate subject to certain excisions.

Hence, the CBFC chairman had decided to refer the movie to a revising committee comprising larger number of members, the ASG said and contended the chairman was fully empowered to take such a decision, under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules of 2024, before the issuance of the censor certificate.

Asserting the production house could not seek a direction, from the court, which amounts to preventing the statutory body from performing its lawful functions, the ASG argued the court could only direct the CBFC to perform its functions within the statutory time limits and take a decision in one way or the other.

On the other hand, Mr. Parasaran argued the CBFC need not give much credence to a dissent by just one of the five members of the examining committee. He said, the recommendation of the majority of four members should prevail over the minority view supposedly taken by a single member of the committee.

He said, the production house had carried out all the 27 excisions and modifications recommended by the examining committee and hence the movie should rightfully be given the U/A 16+ certificate without referring it to the revising committee purportedly on the basis of the “so called complaint” by a single member.

“The CBFC must discharge its duty within the confines of law. I’m only besieging Your Lordship to remind them of their public duty and put them on track.... I’ve invested ₹500 crore. It cannot be dealt with lightly. I’ve also been shouting from the roof that the movie is to be released on January 9. I applied as early as on December 18 and went through the Tatkal procedure too,” the senior counsel added.