In a setback for Thalapathy Vijay’s much-anticipated film Jana Nayagan, the Madras High Court on Friday (January 9) temporarily stalled the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) from granting certification to the movie, dealing a blow to its planned Pongal release.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan issued a “temporary stay” on the earlier order passed by a single judge, which had directed the CBFC to grant a U/A certificate to the Vijay-starrer.
With the matter now posted for further hearing on January 21, after the Pongal holidays, the film’s festive release has effectively been ruled out.
The division bench heard a writ appeal filed by the CBFC challenging the single judge’s order issued earlier on Friday. During the proceedings, the court raised concerns over the urgency with which the matter was taken up and decided.
According to a report by Live Law, the Chief Justice questioned the speed of the earlier ruling, asking, “What was the urgency that the respondent (Board) was asked to respond to the plea and the matter was decided within two days?”
He further remarked that the filmmakers appeared to be creating pressure on the court by pushing for immediate relief. “You (the movie’s makers) are creating an urgency and putting pressure on the court,” the Chief Justice observed.
The temporary stay effectively puts the CBFC certification process on hold until the next hearing, creating uncertainty around the film’s release timeline.
An official response from the film’s producers is awaited as fans express disappointment over the delay. Jana Nayagan was earlier scheduled to release on January 9.
Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan is one of Vijay’s most awaited projects and had generated massive buzz ahead of the Pongal season. It is also his last film. Last month, he had announced that he will focus completely on politics and will step away from showbiz.
