CBFC tells court 14 cuts for 'Jana Nayagan' were provisional
What's the story
The 14 cuts mandated by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in the upcoming Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring Thalapathy Vijay, were "intermediary" and not final. This was revealed during a hearing at the Madras High Court on Tuesday, where KVN Productions, the film's producer, challenged CBFC's delay in certifying the movie. The board's Chairperson is yet to make a decision on the film.
Details
The court will hear KVN Productions's side next
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan, representing the CBFC, argued that the examining committee's recommendation to make 14 cuts in Jana Nayagan was an "intermediary step" and not a final decision. He also questioned KVN Productions's claim of investing ₹500cr in the film, asking why they decided on a release date beforehand. The court will hear KVN Productions's side of the argument after lunch.
Legal proceedings
CBFC's communication and revising committee's role questioned
The Chief Justice asked why Jana Nayagan was sent to the revising committee, questioning if the communication was sent from Chennai or Mumbai. The ASG clarified that it was from Mumbai. He also explained that a film can be sent to a second revising committee if needed. The court is expected to decide on CBFC's certification for Jana Nayagan after hearing KVN Productions's arguments.
Film's journey
'Jana Nayagan' faced delays and legal challenges
Jana Nayagan was initially scheduled to release on January 9. However, a few days before the release, CBFC informed the makers that the film would be referred to a revising committee. This prompted Team Jana Nayagan to approach the High Court, where CBFC maintained that a fresh committee had been appointed to review the movie again. The board is expected to announce on Wednesday if this process has been completed and what cuts should now be made.