Jana Nayagan censor row: Thalapathy Vijay’s film makers get court nod to withdraw plea

Jana Nayagan team has received permission from the Madras High Court to withdraw its legal petition against the Central Board of Film Certification, effectively closing a month-long legal standoff over the film’s censor clearance, India Today reported.

The matter was taken up on Tuesday morning by a single-judge bench presided over by Justice PT Asha. With the court allowing the withdrawal, the film’s producers have cleared the immediate judicial roadblock. The focus now shifts back to the CBFC, with the Revising Committee expected to decide whether the film will be certified as U, U/A or A.

The decision follows a request made by the producers on 9 February, when they formally approached the High Court registry seeking permission to withdraw their writ petition. According to the report, the makers opted to discontinue the court proceedings and instead pursue certification through the Revising Committee, which had been suggested earlier by the censor board.

Jana Nayagan, positioned as Vijay’s final film before fully stepping into politics, was initially slated for release on 9 January. That plan was put on hold after the film failed to receive a censor certificate on time, prompting the producers to seek judicial intervention. At one stage, Justice Asha had directed the CBFC to issue a U/A 16+ certificate for the film.

The situation changed when the CBFC informed the court about an internal objection raised by one of its members. The complaint reportedly pointed to certain dialogues that could hurt religious sentiments. It also highlighted the absence of a defence expert on the examining committee, despite the film featuring Army-related insignia—something the complainant said violated certification norms.

Following this, the CBFC chairperson withheld the certificate and referred the film to a Revising Committee. The censor body later challenged the single-bench directive and sought an interim stay. The Jana Nayagan producers then moved the Supreme Court of India, which declined to intervene and sent the matter back to the Madras High Court.

On 27 January, a Division Bench set aside the earlier order and ordered a fresh hearing, also allowing the producers to modify their petition. Despite this opening, the makers chose to step away from the legal route and proceed with the certification process instead.

Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Menon, Prakash Raj and Priyamani.

Media reports suggest the makers are aiming for a February theatrical release, with an official date expected to be announced only after the film receives its censor certificate.