Jana Nayagan won’t be released before January 21: Finally, after a lot of waiting, the Madras High Court has delivered a significant ruling in favour of creative freedom and procedural fairness. In the latest ruling, the Madras High Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to immediately grant a U/A certificate to the Tamil film “Jana Nayagan” that has actor Vijay as the star. The judgement came just hours before the film’s scheduled theatrical release. Following that, as per the latest report, Vijay’s Jana Nayagan won’t be released before January 21. What are the complete details? Let’s find out.
Read Also: Vijay’s Jana Nayagan Officially Postponed: KVN Productions Issues Statement Requesting Support
Background of the Jana Nayagan Certification Dispute
Jana Nayagan, which is produced by KVN Productions, was originally examined by the CBFC’s Examining Committee in December 18, 2025. The committee recommended a U/A certificate only after certain excisions and modifications. According to the producers, these changes were duly made, and the film was resubmitted. On December 29, the CBFC’s regional office checked the new version and confirmed that the film would be granted a U/A certificate.
However, the situation changed abruptly on January 5 because the CBFC informed the producers that the film had been referred to a Revising Committee under Rule 24 of the Cinematograph Certification Rules. This decision was made after the consideration of a complaint alleging that the movie hurt religious sentiments. This led to the postponement of the film’s release.
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When will Jana Nagayan be released?
Jana Nagayan was officially postponed on 7th January at night, around a day ahead of the grand debut. And, to add to this, the Madras High Court has already ordered that Jana Nayagan will not be released until at least January 21. The court was seen concerned over procedural lapses and emphasized that the Censor Board must be given a fair opportunity to file its counter affidavit.
Hence, the film, which was slated for a January 9 worldwide release, will not be released before January 21, due to the Pongal national holiday. And this postponement has sent ripples across theatres during the Pongal window. The makers are now reportedly considering approaching the Supreme Court, which will add further uncertainty to the release timeline.
High Court’s Observations on the Complaint against Jana Nagayan
Justice PT Asha recently pronounced the order on January 9, and she strongly criticised the manner in which the complaint was entertained. The Court observed that the grievance appeared to be an “afterthought” and the court also warned that allowing such complaints at a late stage could lead to a “dangerous trend.”
CBFC Chairperson’s Powers Examined
A key issue before the Court was to decide the authority of the CBFC Chairperson to refer the film to a Revising Committee after the Examining Committee’s recommendations had already been accepted and communicated. The High Court has confirmed that the Chairperson’s action was without jurisdiction. It also clarified that once the Examining Committee’s conditions were fulfilled, the issuance of the certificate should have followed automatically.
Moreover, the CBFC had officially informed the producer that a U/A certificate would be granted to Jana Nagayan after specific cuts.
Arguments from Both Sides
KVN Productions argued that reopening the certification process was illegal and arbitrary. Senior Advocate Satish Parasaran said that an individual committee member could not later act as a complainant to invalidate a majority decision.
On the other hand, the CBFC, which was represented by Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan, used the reference of Rule 23(14). Under this Rule 23(14), the Chairperson could differ from the committee’s opinion, even based on a complaint. The Court rejected this argument in the present facts.
Final Verdict and Its Impact: Expected Valentine’s Day Weekend Release
All in all, the ongoing trials and legal complications around Jana Nagayan are frustrating for the audience as they wait for the final release date. The Madras High Court has ordered that Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan will not be released before January 21; this has created uncertainty around the release of the film. As per the latest report, if everything goes well, Jana Nayagan could be released on Valentine’s Day weekend.
With that being said, this delay in the release of Jana Nagayan has left fans frustrated.
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