Big win for Thalapathy Vijay: HC directs CBFC to issue ‘U/A’ certificate to Jana Nayagan

The Madras High Court has directed CBFC to issue ‘U/A’ certificate for ‘Jana Nayagan’ movie starring Thalapathy Vijay, bringing clarity to uncertainty surrounding its release. Fans of the Tamil star had been eagerly awaiting the decision, which had become a source of suspense and anxiety in recent days.

Justice PT Asha while pronouncing the verdict said, "After examining materials, it is crystal clear that the complainant's grievance appears to be an after thought".

According to LiveLaw, the court observed that allowing such complaints to be considered would create a “dangerous trend.” It also ruled that the CBFC chairperson’s letter uploaded on 6 January “is without jurisdiction,” noting that once the cuts suggested by the examining committee are implemented, certification for the film should “automatically follow.”

The verdict was pronounced on January 9 at 10:30 am. The legal ruling comes after a battle between the film’s producers and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which had raised multiple objections delaying the film’s clearance.

Shortly after the single judge directed that Jana Nayagan be issued a U/A certificate, ASG ARL Sundaresan made an urgent mention before the Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava for listing of its appeal against the order.

Legal battle over certification

‘Jana Nayagan’, directed by H Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, was originally slated for a Pongal release on 9 January, 2026. However, the producers postponed the release due to delays in obtaining CBFC certification. Complaints that certain scenes might hurt religious sentiments led the board to refer the film to a revising committee, prompting the producers to seek judicial intervention.

On January 7, the HC had reserved its order on a petition seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to give a censor certificate under 'UA 16+' category to the much-anticipated film.

During proceedings, senior advocate Satish Parasaran represented KVN Productions before the Madras High Court. Parasaran’s involvement attracted attention online, with fans highlighting his long-standing ties to the Tamil film industry.

The court, after hearing arguments, reserved its verdict and directed the film to be reviewed by a fresh committee of CBFC experts. The ruling now paves the way for the film’s certification and eventual release.

The film team, having completed all work, sent it for censorship on December 18.

Subsequently, on December 19, the censor board that viewed the film reportedly advised the removal of some scenes and muting of some dialogues.

Even after changes suggested by the censor board members were made, the censor certificate has still not been issued, the petitioner movie production house had submitted.

Certification concerns

The certification process had faced multiple challenges. Initially, CBFC members flagged scenes with excessive violence and requested cuts, which the producers complied with. However, additional objections were raised later, including the depiction of a defence emblem that required official clearance and certain sequences with potential communal overtones.

These issues contributed to the prolonged delay, despite the producers being informed on 22 December 2025 that the film would likely receive a U/A certificate following initial revisions. The matter was referred to subject experts for review before final certification could be granted.

The delay in CBFC approval affected not only the Tamil version but also the dubbed releases in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. Clearance of the original language is mandatory before these versions can be certified, putting the entire multi-language release plan on hold.

Refunds for pre-booked tickets

In light of the postponed release, several cinemas began processing automated refunds for tickets booked for 9 January. Online platforms confirmed that refunds were being issued without requiring customer requests, providing relief to fans who had purchased advance tickets.

‘Jana Nayagan’ had already amassed an estimated ₹45 crore in global advance ticket sales for its opening day – notably achieved before major bookings were opened in Tamil Nadu, the film’s core market. The bottleneck created by the certification issue also fuelled a spike in unauthorised ticket resales, with some first-day-first-show prices reportedly climbing as high as ₹5,000, well above Tamil Nadu’s regulated ceiling of ₹190.

Cast and anticipation

‘Jana Nayagan’ features an ensemble cast including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani and Narain. Touted as Vijay’s final film before his full-time entry into politics, the movie had generated significant hype, with fans closely monitoring each development in the certification case.

With the High Court’s verdict now announced, industry watchers are awaiting the final release date and the audience reception for the star-studded drama.