Even as the producers of actor Vijay’s much-awaited film Jana Nayagan have moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court’s interim stay on the film’s certification, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has filed a caveat in the apex court, seeking to ensure that no interim relief is granted without hearing its side.
The producers, KVN Productions LLP, approached the Supreme Court after a division bench of the Madras High Court stayed an earlier single-judge order that had directed the CBFC to grant the film a U/A 16+ certificate. The stay has put the film’s planned Pongal release in serious doubt, triggering concern across the industry and among Vijay’s massive fan base.
The controversy dates back to December 2025, when Jana Nayagan was submitted for certification. After incorporating suggested modifications, the examining committee recommended a U/A certificate. However, just days before the scheduled January 9 release, the CBFC referred the film to a revising committee following a complaint. The makers termed the move sudden, arbitrary, and procedurally unfair, prompting them to seek legal recourse.
A single judge of the Madras High Court initially came to the producers’ rescue by directing the CBFC to issue certification. This relief, however, was short-lived, as the order was stayed by a division bench following an appeal, effectively halting the certification process.
In their plea before the Supreme Court, the producers have sought an urgent hearing, contending that the continued stay is causing “irreparable loss” and jeopardising the film’s release schedule. They have also argued that repeated delays at the certification stage undermine certainty and fairness in the regulatory process.