The planned January 9 theatrical release of superstar Vijay's much-anticipated film 'Jana Nayagan' has been thrown into uncertainty. This follows a decision by the Madras High Court to defer a crucial hearing on a petition seeking a censor certificate for the movie.
Court Hearing Postponed, Release Date in Limbo
On Wednesday, January 7, the Madras High Court deferred the hearing because Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan was occupied with another case before the Chief Justice's bench. The petition was filed by the film's production house, KVN Productions, seeking a directive to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue the censor certificate urgently.
With less than 48 hours remaining until the scheduled global release and no new hearing date immediately set, speculation is rife that the film's premiere might be postponed. Reports suggest the hearing may now occur on Friday, January 9, which is the very day the film is supposed to hit screens.
A Timeline of Censorship Hurdles
The journey to secure a censor certificate for 'Jana Nayagan' has been fraught with delays. The completed film was submitted to the CBFC on December 18. The very next day, the board advised the makers to remove certain scenes and mute some dialogues.
KVN Productions promptly made the requested changes and re-submitted the film. However, the CBFC did not grant the certificate. Instead, the board initially found the film fit for a U/A certificate but later referred it to a Revising Committee. This move came after officials flagged a particular scene they believed could hurt religious sentiments.
Production House's Plea and Potential Consequences
Facing a tight deadline, the production company approached the Madras High Court. Their argument centered on the fact that since no one had seen the final film, it was unclear how a complaint about its content could have been made. The court had earlier asked the CBFC to submit the written complaint against the film by January 7.
During proceedings, the court questioned why the release could not be postponed by a day, to January 10. The production company's counsel emphasized that altering a widely announced release date would result in significant financial losses. Advance bookings for the film have been exceptionally strong, reportedly selling nearly 12 times more tickets than a competing release.
This film is particularly significant as it is touted to be Vijay's last acting project. The 51-year-old icon is widely expected to retire from cinema to fully devote himself to a political career, adding to the high stakes surrounding this release.
