CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday reserved the orders on the petition filed by the producer of Vijay starrer “Jana Nayagan”, scheduled for release on January 9, alleging delay in granting the certification for release by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
After the arguments were completed, Justice P T Asha reserved the orders, and added that it will most likely be pronounced on January 9 morning.
The judge posed several queries on the rationale and legality of reopening the certification process by sending the movie to the revising committee after deciding to issue UA certification and completing the exercise of issuing certificate.
She questioned the maintainability of a complaint lodged by one of the members of the examining committee of CBFC based on which the movie was referred to the revising committee. The petitioner – KVN Productions LLP – has done the cuts and the mutes on the objectionable scenes and words as directed by the CBFC; however, the board is keeping in abeyance issuance of the certification, the judge said.
“The only ground for reviewing the movie is the complaint which is not maintainable on the face of it since all the objections raised have been complied with,” Justice Asha said.
She also flagged the failure of the board to intimate the producer on the decision for sending the movie to the revising committee.
Stating that there is no mala fide intention on the part of the board, Additional Solicitor General A R L Sundaresan, representing the CBFC, submitted that a review of a movie can be done even after the examining committee completes the process.
Senior counsel Satish Parasaran, appearing for the producer of the movie, submitted that a member of the examining committee could make recommendations after viewing the film but cannot lodge a complaint. He wondered how a member’s complaint could form the basis for sending the film to the revising committee.