Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved its judgment in the high-stakes legal battle over the censor certification of actor Vijay’s political action thriller Jana Nayagan, a ₹500 crore project whose Pongal release was abruptly halted. The court did not specify a date for pronouncing its order after hearing lengthy arguments from the film’s producers and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The hearing centered on whether CBFC Chairman Prasoon Joshi overstepped his authority by ordering a review of the film after it had already been cleared by the regional board. The producers, represented by senior advocates, argued that the Chairman’s intervention was procedurally flawed and caused severe financial and reputational damage.
Producers’ Allegations: Procedural Opacity & “Mental Distress”
The counsel for the production company, Amma Creations, presented a core argument: “The Censor Board Chairman should not have retracted his decision.” They claimed that after the film was cleared on December 29, transparency was violated as they were kept in the dark about the specific complaint that triggered the review.
“The Censor Board did not tell us what the complaint against the film was,” argued the production’s lawyer, adding that the procedural delays had caused “mental distress” and colossal losses, as the film was originally slated for a January 9 release. They cited CBFC rules, stating a decision must be made within two days of a screening.
CBFC’s Defense: Suo Motu Powers & “Protocol for Armed Forces”
Countering this, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) R. Sankaranarayanan, representing the CBFC, defended the Chairman’s suo motu powers. He stated that a complaint was received regarding the “inaccurate portrayal of the armed forces” in the film, a serious matter that warranted re-examination.
“When depicting the armed forces, protocol must be followed. This cannot be decided solely by the committee; an expert may be consulted,” the ASG argued. He emphasized that the Chairman acted based on a valid complaint and that “all procedures cannot be completed in a single day,” a point with which the bench concurred.
Court’s Observations & The Road Ahead
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, questioned both sides closely. The Chief Justice noted that “sufficient time should have been given to the Censor Board” for due process, while also questioning the CBFC on the source of the complaint and the timeline for a review committee’s decision.
The court has now reserved its orders. The outcome is keenly awaited by the film’s massive fanbase, which has rallied online with the hashtag #WeWantJanaNayagan, and by an industry watching a precedent-setting clash between creative timelines and regulatory oversight.