After Fresh Court Setback, Poll Code Shadow Looms Over Vijay's Jana Nayagan

The legal setback faced by actor Vijay's farewell film Jana Nayagan is now being increasingly viewed through the prism of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), echoing the controversy surrounding the delayed release of the Narendra Modi biopic ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Today, the Madras High Court set aside a single judge's earlier direction ordering the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant the film a UA 16+ certificate. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan and Justice Arul Murugan ruled that the single judge should have given the CBFC sufficient time to file its counter-affidavit before issuing interim orders. The matter has now been remitted back to the single judge for a fresh hearing, raising the prospect of a prolonged legal process.

The bench also took note of a complaint submitted by a member of the Examining Committee, which flagged concerns over the presence of an army-related emblem in the film and the absence of a defence expert in the panel that reviewed it. These objections are expected to play a key role in the renewed certification battle.

Missed Release and Election Timing

Jana Nayagan has already missed its planned January 9 release, which was strategically scheduled ahead of the lucrative Pongal holiday window. Hoping for a favourable order today, producers were reportedly aiming for a January 30 release or a Valentine's Day launch in February. However, with Tamil Nadu Assembly elections due in April, political observers fear that further delays could push the film dangerously close to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.

Some critics argue that if the certification process drags on, there could be an attempt to stall the film's release on election-related grounds - mirroring what happened in 2019, when a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi was barred from release before polling, citing concerns over electoral influence.

Political Stakes for Vijay

The stakes are high for Vijay, whose political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), is gearing up for its electoral debut. The timing of Jana Nayagan - widely seen as both his cinematic farewell and a symbolic public statement - was considered politically significant ahead of the polls.

Vijay has openly declared the ruling DMK as his "political enemy" and the BJP as his "ideological enemy," while categorically ruling out any alliance with the saffron party or its ally AIADMK. Against this backdrop, the ruling DMK and its ally Congress have alleged that the Centre is misusing the CBFC to exert pressure on Vijay to shift towards the NDA.

Responding to such speculation on Sunday, Vijay asserted defiantly, "Do you think I'd buckle under pressure? Nothing would work with me."

Fear of a Repeat of 2019 Scenario

With both Vijay and the TVK maintaining silence on the legal proceedings, citing the matter as sub judice, concerns persist among sections of the public that the certification issue could be deliberately prolonged to push the film closer to the election period - eventually invoking the Model Code of Conduct to block or defer its release.

However, TVK leaders have rejected such comparisons with the 2019 Modi biopic controversy. TVK spokesperson Felix Gerald told NDTV, "The film on Narendra Modi was a biopic highlighting his achievements. Jana Nayagan is fiction. This can't be stopped that way."

As the legal battle returns to the single judge and election season approaches, Jana Nayagan now stands at the intersection of cinema, law, politics and above all, freedom of expression - with the Model Code of Conduct looming as a potential final hurdle to its release.