The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea filed by KVN Productions seeking immediate intervention to obtain certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for the film Jana Nayagan. As a result, the apex court refused to grant any relief in connection with the postponement of the film’s release, which had been scheduled for January 9 but was delayed after the makers failed to secure the mandatory censor certificate in time.
In its order, the Supreme Court made it clear that the appropriate forum to pursue the matter was the Madras High Court. The bench directed the producers to take their appeal back to the High Court’s division bench, which had earlier criticised the filmmakers for creating what it described as a “false sense of urgency” and had ordered the CBFC to withhold certification until the issues raised were examined in detail.
The apex court further instructed the Madras High Court to make an effort to hear and decide the appeal on January 20. At the same time, the bench categorically stated that it would not interfere in the ongoing proceedings at this stage, underscoring its view that the matter should be resolved by the High Court in the normal course of law.
During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of KVN Productions, submitted that the delay in certification had caused severe financial damage to the producers, claiming that they had been “ruined” by the postponement of the film’s release. The court, however, questioned why the filmmakers had not allowed the CBFC adequate time to file its response before approaching higher judicial forums.
In response to the court’s observations, the producers urged the bench to at least direct the Madras High Court to take up their appeal by January 20, highlighting the magnitude of losses already suffered due to the stalled release. The Supreme Court acknowledged this request only to the extent of expressing confidence that the High Court would deal with the matter expeditiously.
Importantly, the Supreme Court did not set aside or dilute the interim stay imposed earlier by the bench headed by the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. As a result, the restraint on the grant of the censor certificate remains in force until the High Court hears and decides the appeal.
