New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) The producer of the Tamil film ‘Jana Nayagan’, starring actor-turned-politician Vijay, has approached the Supreme Court challenging an interim order of the Madras High Court that stayed a single judge’s direction to grant the film a censor certificate.

KVN Productions LLP, the film’s producer, on Monday filed a Special Leave Petition assailing the order passed by a division bench of the Madras High Court on January 9, which had stayed the direction issued by a single judge for immediate issuance of a certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Earlier on January 9, a single judge bench of the Madras High Court had allowed the producer’s plea and directed the CBFC to promptly issue a U/A 16+ certificate to the film.

However, on the same day, the CBFC moved an urgent appeal before the division bench, which heard the matter and stayed the single judge bench’s direction.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan, adjourned the case for further hearing on January 20.

While staying the direction passed by Justice P.T. Asha, the division bench said that the order had been passed without granting sufficient opportunity to the CBFC to respond.

It noted that the writ petition was filed on January 6 and taken up for hearing on January 7.

Questioning the producer’s decision to announce a release date without securing CBFC clearance, the division bench remarked that the film’s producers appeared to have put unnecessary pressure on the Madras High Court by citing the film’s proposed release date of January 9.

The controversy relates to delays in certification following objections raised by one member of the examining committee despite the remaining members recommending a U/A 16+ certificate with certain modifications.

‘Jana Nayagan’ is being closely watched as it is Vijay’s final film release before his full-time foray into politics.

–IANS

pds/khz