Jana Nayagan postponed: Thalapathy Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan‘ found itself at the mercy of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ahead of its release. The much-anticipated film of one of the biggest Tamil superstars, set to hit the Indian box office on January 9, has been postponed by the Madras High Court. The Court reserved its order based on a complaint from an individual, withholding the censor certificate.

The final judgement from the hearing, presided by Justice PT Asha, is set to be pronounced on January 9, the original release date of Jana Nayagan. Reportedly made with a budget of Rs 500 crore, the film has already received a censor certificate from 24 countries. Yesterday, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) green-flagged it with a ’15’ rating.

Jana Nayagan vs Madras HC

Following the CBFC’s decision to give Jana Nayagan a ‘UA 16’ certificate, days ahead of the release on January 5, the film was sent through another revising committee. According to Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan, representing the CBFC, a dissenting member of the examining committee submitted a complaint to the CBFC chairman. They claimed that the complainant’s objections weren’t adequately recorded in the matter.

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Sundaresan then argued that the chairman was fully empowered under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, to send Thalapathy Vijay’s movie to another body. While the makers of Jana Nayagan do not have a judicial direction to restrain an authority, the court can set a timeline for the CBFC to complete its due process.

Before being sent to the revising committee, Jana Nayagan had already gone through 27 cuts and modifications, based on the recommendations of the certifying authorities. It was only after this move that the film received its UA 16+ certificate.

With fans eagerly awaiting the Pongal release, a global launch event for the film’s music has been held. In December 2025, the Jana Nayagan music launch was scheduled in Malaysia, hyping up for the film’s release on January 9. However, with the postponement, it leaves Prabhas’ ‘Raja Saab’ to shine as the entire spotlight falls on the release.