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The archetypal Division Bench of the Madras High Court is each acceptable to pronounce its judgement connected Tuesday (January 27, 2026) connected a writ entreaty filed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) against a azygous judge’s January 9, 2026, bid to contented a U/A 16+ certificate for histrion Vijay’s overmuch anticipated last movieJana Nayagan.
Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan volition pronounce the verdict that they had reserved connected January 20, 2026 aft proceeding Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan for the CBFC and elder counsel Satish Parasaran, assisted by Vijayan Subramanian, for KVN Productions LLP.
During the people of arguments, the Division Bench had insisted some sides archetypal marque their submissions connected the preliminary contented arsenic to whether the azygous justice was justified successful disposing of the accumulation house’s writ petition by simply calling for the records and without granting an accidental to the CBFC to record a antagonistic affidavit.
The Bench besides wanted to cognize whether the azygous justice was close successful quashing CBFC’s Chairman’s January 6, 2026 decision, to notation the movie to a nine-member revising committee, though the accumulation location had not filed a writ of certiorari challenging that determination but had lone sought a writ of mandamus directing the committee to contented U/A 16+ certificate arsenic it had been recommended by a five-member examining committee.
It was aft the counsel made their submissions connected the 2 preliminary issues, the Division Bench went up proceeding them connected the merits of the lawsuit with the accumulation location questioning the authorization of the CBFC Chairman to notation the movie to the revising committee aft the examining committee had made its proposal to contented U/A 16+ certificate and the CBFC asserting that the president was empowered to bash so.
During the people of arguments, Mr. Sundaresan said the accumulation location had filed its writ petition connected January 6, 2026, and it was heard by the azygous justice successful the day connected the aforesaid time aft granting a luncheon motion. Thereafter, the CBFC was directed to nutrient the records connected January 7, 2026, erstwhile the justice perused the documents, heard some broadside and reserved orders connected the writ petition.
Thereafter, the orders were pronounced connected January 9, 2026, not lone directing the CBFC to contented the U/A 16+ certificate but besides quashing the CBFC Chairman’s decision, uploaded connected the e-cinepramaan portal connected January 6, though that had not been challenged by the accumulation location astatine all, the ASG complained. He besides said the committee was not granted an accidental to record a elaborate antagonistic affidavit.
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On the different hand, Mr. Parasaran told the tribunal that the accumulation location had submitted an exertion earlier the CBFC, nether the Tatkal scheme, arsenic aboriginal arsenic connected December 18, 2025 and made a nationalist announcement that the movie would beryllium released connected January 9, 2026. The examining committee watched the movie connected December 19, 2025, and each the 5 members unanimously decided to contented U/A 16+ certificate taxable to definite excisions.
The examining committee’s proposal was conveyed to the accumulation location connected December 22, 2025. Immediately, the second accepted the proposal and carried retired the excisions earlier re-submitting the movie connected December 24, 2025. However, determination was a lull thereafter and deficiency of effect from the committee contempt the producers sending repeated reminders for issuance of certification.
Suddenly, connected January 5, 2026, the accumulation location was informed that the CBFC Chairman had decided to notation the movie to a revising committee, and hence, it rushed to the tribunal with the writ petition connected January 6, 2026. It was lone successful the tribunal that the CBFC revealed that the notation was made pursuant to a ailment received by the CBFC Chairman from 1 of the 5 members successful the examining committee, Mr. Parasaran said.
He besides questioned arsenic to however a subordinate who had recorded his impressions and recommendations instantly aft watching the movie connected December 19, 2025, could subsequently nonstop a ailment to the president stating that the movie had respective references to the Indian Army but determination was nary adept connected the taxable successful the examining committee and that determination were besides immoderate scenes related to spiritual conflict.
Mr. Parasaran said, the accumulation location had edited retired each the visuals, arsenic per the recommendations made by the examining committee, and it would beryllium absurd to adept the producers to re-introduce those portions backmost successful the movie earlier submitting it for a reappraisal by the revising committee.
