Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan was left in the lurch when just a few days before its release, the makers had to postpone what is being touted as the superstar’s last film before he starts a full-fledged political career. Jana Nayagan was postponed as the film failed to secure the requisite censor certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). On Thursday, the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the case, asking the makers to wait for the January 20 hearing in front of a division bench of the Madras High Court, as per PTI.
As per the report, the Supreme Court asked the Madras HC to decide the plea on January 20 after the producers’ lawyer, advocate Mukul Rohatgi, claimed that a film is a “perishable item” and would cause “serious injury” if matter is delayed any further.
Jana Nayagan controversy: What has happened so far?
Jana Nayagan was initially submitted to the CBFC in December as the makers hoped to secure a certificate before their scheduled release of January 9. An examining committee of five members watched the film on December 19, and recommended 27 cuts. Following the suggested cuts, they recommended that the film be given a U/A certificate. The recommendations were implemented by the makers. However, a member later wrote to the chairperson of the CBFC, Prasoon Joshi, and claimed that their objections had not been addressed properly. Following this objection, Joshi decided to refer the film to a revising committee in January.
When the makers did not receive a certificate even after implementing the 27 cuts, they filed a petition with the Madras HC challenging the CBFC’s decision to withhold the censor certificate, which reserved its order on January 7. The makers then announced the delay in the release on their social media handles.
On Friday, January 9, Madras HC gave its decision and directed the CBFC to issue the film’s U/A certificate. Justice PT Asha said, “After examining materials, it is crystal clear that the complainant’s grievance appears to be an afterthought.” The court also added that the “exercise of power by the chairperson is without jurisdiction” as they had already decided to grant a U/A certificate to the film. However, the CBFC appealed against the decision in the HC and a division bench stayed the prior order, scheduling the matter to be heard after the Pongal holidays.
Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan, representing CBFC, made an urgent mention before the CJ of the Madras HC, seeking a hearing of a writ appeal against Justice PT Asha’s order. The matter was heard on the same day. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, with Justice G Arul Murugan, passed the interim stay after hearing an urgent writ appeal filed by the CBFC against the order. Thus, the film did not get its certificate, as directed by Madras HC previously. The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 21. The makers then filed a plea with the Supreme Court and on Monday, January 12, it was announced that the matter would be heard on Wednesday, January 15.
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Producers share their side of the story
Previously, KVN Productions’s Venkat K Narayana shared a video on Instagram sharing his side of the story. He claimed that the film was submitted to the CBFC on December 18 and they received an email on December 22, stating that the film would get a U/A certificate, subject to a few changes. “We incorporated the suggested changes and resubmitted the film, believing we were finally ready to share our work with you and release the film,” he said.
He claimed that on January 5, just four days before the release, the film was sent to the revising committee based on a “single complainant”. “With time running out to approach the revising committee, and without knowing who the complainant was, we approached the honourable High Court,” he said.
Jana Nayagan is said to be Vijay’s last film before he enters politics.
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