The producers of Jana Nayagan, actor Vijay’s highly anticipated farewell film, informed the Madras High Court that Amazon Prime Video had warned them of potential legal action due to the lack of clarity over the movie’s release timeline. The revelation came during a hearing in an ongoing dispute between KVN Productions and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
According to the producers, Amazon Prime issued the warning on December 31 after repeated delays in certification created uncertainty around the planned release. KVN Productions said they were compelled to approach the court after receiving no communication from the CBFC between December 25 and January 5, despite multiple follow-ups seeking clarity.
During the January 20 hearing, as reported by Live Law, senior advocate Satish Parasaran, appearing for the producers, argued that the CBFC had issued only a “communication” rather than a formal, appealable order. This, he said, left the filmmakers without a clear legal remedy. The producers also alleged that they were instructed to reinsert scenes that had earlier been deleted before sending the film to a revising committee, calling the exercise futile and procedural in nature.
Representing the CBFC, the Additional Solicitor General questioned why the makers announced a January 9 release date without obtaining certification. The producers responded that it is standard industry practice, citing examples of other films announcing release dates prior to certification.
The Chief Justice expressed concern over the urgency of the petition, cautioning that granting expedited hearings in such cases could set an undesirable precedent. The hearing also raised procedural issues, with the producers arguing that members of the examining committee should not act as complainants, especially when one such member had earlier recommended certification.
The ASG submitted records in a sealed cover, including a complaint from the CBFC’s Mumbai regional office, which alleged that the film contained content that could hurt religious sentiments and included sensitive Army-related references. After hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court reserved its order, effectively putting the film’s release on hold until a decision is delivered.
