The Supreme Court directed that the Division Bench of the Madras High Court should hear and decide the matter on 20 January, and dismissed the petition accordingly.
Published Jan 15, 2026 | 11:28 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 15, 2026 | 12:42 PM
A poster of the film 'Jana Nayagan. (X)
Synopsis: The Supreme Court declined to intervene in the censor-related dispute surrounding the Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring actor-politician Vijay, directing the producers to approach the Division Bench of the Madras High Court instead.
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, 15 January, declined to intervene in the censor-related dispute surrounding the Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring actor-politician Vijay, directing the producers to approach the Division Bench of the Madras High Court instead.
An apex court bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih was hearing a special leave petition filed by the film’s production house, KVN Productions, challenging the manner in which the Madras High Court had earlier dealt with the case.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that the high court had dismissed the matter hastily without proper consideration. However, the Bench remarked that there was nothing wrong in courts expeditiously disposing of cases and observed that judges who clear matters swiftly deserve appreciation.
Stating that it was not inclined to go into the merits of the case, the Supreme Court said it did not wish to interfere in the matter at this stage. The Bench advised the production house to raise all its grievances before the Madras High Court’s Division Bench.
The Supreme Court further directed that the Division Bench of the Madras High Court should hear and decide the matter on 20 January, and dismissed the petition accordingly.
During the hearing, the producers submitted that they had planned to release Jana Nayagan on 9 January and had booked more than 5,000 theatres, incurred substantial promotional expenses, and suffered significant financial losses due to the delay.
The Bench, however, maintained that all such submissions should be placed before the high court, reiterating its refusal to entertain the plea.
Jana Nayagan, initially slated for a 9 January release, has been withheld after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not certify it fit for screening.
The makers of the film were expecting a U/A certificate — parental guidance for audiences aged under 12 — for Jana Nayagan, the movie considered to be the last one in Vijay’s 34-year-long career as a lead actor.
Earlier, production house KVN Productions had approached the Madras High Court, seeking an order in favour of releasing the film. On 9 January, Justice PT Asha directed the CBFC to issue the certification.
However, later the same afternoon, the CBFC filed an appeal before a Bench headed by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, which granted an interim stay on the single judge’s order. The case was then deferred until 21 January.
Subsequently, the film’s team approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Madras High Court Chief Justice’s order. Meanwhile, the CBFC has also filed a caveat petition, seeking to ensure that no orders are passed without hearing its arguments.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
