Jana Nayagan CBFC Row: Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Producer's Plea For Clearance

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) denied certification to Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, which prevented the film from releasing on its planned date of January 9. In the latest update, on January 15, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by the producer of the Tamil film Jana Nayagan.

A bench led by Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Augustine George Masih declined to hear the case, stating that the Madras High Court’s Division Bench will take up the matter on January 20, as per Live Law.

The film’s producer, KVN Productions LLP, filed the petition challenging the Madras High Court Division Bench order that stayed the Single Bench’s direction to the CBFC to certify the film without delay.

In the order, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for KVN, stated that the industry has long followed the practice of announcing a release date before receiving CBFC clearance. He added that the makers had already booked over 5,000 theatres.

According to Live Law, Justice Datta remarked on how quickly the single bench resolved the matter within a day. “We would welcome all the judges to dispose of the matters within a day or two of their filing. But this should happen in all cases. This is a blistering pace...matter filed on 6th, decided on 7th...when the matter is fixed before the division bench on 20th, they have a right of appeal....”

Justice Datta also noted that no one challenged the CBFC Chairperson’s order dated January 6, which referred the matter to the Revising Committee. Since the Division Bench has already scheduled the case for January 20, the Supreme Court does not need to intervene at this stage, Justice Datta observed, as per Live Law.

In its order, the Supreme Court asked the petitioner to return to the Madras High Court. It stated that the Division Bench must hear the arguments, as it had earlier criticised the makers for showing a “false sense of urgency” and directed the CBFC to withhold the certificate until the court fully hears the matter.