Producers of Vijay-starred Jana Nayagan, KVN Productions LLP, have moved the Supreme Court seeking an ex parte interim stay on the order of the Madras High Court that has stayed the certification process of their film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The petition contests the Division Bench order of the Madras High Court dated January 9, 2026, which had stayed the certification of the Tamil film, overturning the previous order of the single bench of the High Court, which had directed the CBFC to give the film a U/A 16+ rating.
Jana Nayagan certification row: What the Supreme Court plea seeks
The plea in the petition requests the Supreme Court to grant of ex-parte interim stay or an ad interim stay of the order dated January 9 passed by the High Court. Additionally, the plea had prayed for any other relief that the Supreme Court may deem fit.
The plea reads, 'It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that Your Lordships may graciously be pleased to: - a) Ex parte, through an interim or ad-interim order, stay the operation of the impugned interim Order dated 09.01.2026 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras in C.M.P No. 821 of 2026 in W.A. No. 94 of 2026; and/or pass such further or other orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper AND FOR THIS ACT OF KINDNESS THE PETITIONER AS IN DUTY BOUND SHALL EVER PRAY.'
It is pertinent to mention that the CBFC has also filed a plea in the Supreme Court, seeking an instruction that no order be passed in this matter without the hearing of the film certification authority.
CBFC’s objections to Jana Nayagan explained
The controversy arose as the CBFC decided to conduct the certification of the film based on the fact that some scenes in the movie have the potential to offend religious sentiments. Nevertheless, Vijay’s film initially had a favourable judgment by the High Court, where a single bench of the court ordered the censor board to give the U/A 16+ rating.
However, subsequently, on CBFC’s challenge, a division bench stayed the certification. Before the division bench, CBFC sought an expert opinion on the scenes of the armed forces in the movie.
The dispute is presently before the Supreme Court, with either party, namely film producers and the Censor Board, filing the above mentioned petitions.
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