The Madras High Court has set aside a single judge’s earlier directive that ordered the Central Board of Film Certification to grant the film a UA 16+ certificate.
The legal hurdle faced by actor Vijay’s farewell film “Jana Nayakan” is now being viewed from the vantage point of the Election Code of Conduct (MCC), reminiscent of the controversy surrounding the delay in the release of the Narendra Modi biopic before the 2019 general elections.
Today, the Madras High Court set aside a single judge’s earlier directive that ordered the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant the film a UA 16+ certificate. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan and Justice Arul Murugan ruled that the single judge should have given the CBFC sufficient time to file its response before issuing the interim order. The case has now been sent back to a single judge for a fresh hearing, raising the possibility of a lengthy legal process.
The bench also took note of a complaint submitted by a member of the examining committee, expressing concerns over the presence of military-related insignia in the film and the absence of a defense expert on the review committee. These objections are expected to play a key role in the new battle for certification.
Missing Release and Election Timing
Jana Nayakan missed its scheduled January 9th release date, which was strategically timed to capitalize on the Pongal holidays. Hoping for a favorable order today, the producers were reportedly aiming to release the film on January 30th or Valentine’s Day in February. However, with the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for April, political analysts fear that further delays could bring the film dangerously close to the Model Code of Conduct being implemented.
Some critics argue that if the certification process is delayed, attempts could be made to block the film’s release on election-related grounds—similar to what happened in 2019, when a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi was prevented from releasing before the elections, citing concerns about electoral influence.
Political stakes for Vijay
The stakes are high for Vijay, whose political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is about to make its electoral debut. The timing of Jana Nayakan’s release—widely seen as both his cinematic farewell and a symbolic public statement—was considered politically significant ahead of the elections.
Vijay has declared the ruling DMK his “political enemy” and the BJP his “ideological enemy,” and has categorically ruled out any alliance with the saffron party or its ally, the AIADMK. Against this backdrop, the ruling DMK and its ally Congress have alleged that the central government is misusing the CBFC to pressure Vijay to join the NDA.
Responding to such speculation on Sunday, Vijay challenged, “Do you think I’ll succumb to pressure? Nothing will work with me.”
Fear of a repeat of the 2019 situation
Both Vijay and TVK have maintained silence on the legal proceedings, stating the matter is sub judice, leading to concerns among some sections of the public that the certification issue may be deliberately protracted to bring the film closer to the election period—and ultimately, the code of conduct may be invoked to block or postpone its release.
However, TVK leaders have rejected such comparisons to the controversy surrounding the 2019 Modi biopic. TVK spokesperson Felix Gerald told NDTV, “The film on Narendra Modi was a biography highlighting his achievements. Jana Nayakan is a fictional film. It cannot be stopped like this.”
As the legal battle returns to a single judge and election season approaches, Jana Nayakan now stands at the crossroads of cinema, law, politics and, above all, freedom of expression – with the Model Code of Conduct emerging as a potential final hurdle to its release.
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