New Delhi, 15 January (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a petition by producers KVN Productions seeking urgent Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) clearance for Tamil superstar Vijay's Jana Nayagan, directing them instead to pursue remedies before the Madras High Court where the matter is slated for hearing on January 20.

A bench led by Justice Dipankar Datta rebuffed the plea, characterising it as an attempt to circumvent the statutory certification process under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and its appellate hierarchy, while emphasising that parties cannot invoke extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 136 to bypass ongoing High Court proceedings.

The controversy erupted after the film's December 18, 2025, screening before the CBFC, which recommended a UA certificate contingent on specified cuts; producers complied promptly, yet certification remained withheld amid complaints prompting judicial intervention.

KVN Productions approached the Madras High Court's single judge bench, which on January 9 ordered immediate UA issuance post-modifications, cautioning against undue CBFC deference to grievances that might chill artistic expression.

The CBFC challenged this ex parte directive before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan, which stayed the order citing procedural lapses, insufficient opportunity to present its case, and producers' creation of a false sense of urgency for the aborted January 9 release.

The Supreme Court refused interim relief, underscoring judicial restraint on prior restraint in cinematography—a reasonable Article 19(2) restriction per precedents like K.A. Abbas v. Union of India—and urged expeditious disposal by the Madras High Court's division bench on January 20 without vacating the stay.

Directed by H. Vinoth and co-starring Pooja Hegde, the multilingual Jana Nayagan—slated for release across 22 countries in four languages—now awaits resolution amid escalating commercial stakes for producers decrying irreparable losses from the delay.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar