KVN Productions, the producer of the much-anticipated Vijay-starrer film 'Jana Nayagan', has escalated its legal battle to the Supreme Court of India. This move challenges an interim order passed by a Division Bench of the Madras High Court, which had stayed an earlier directive from a single-judge bench to grant the film a U/A 16+ censor certificate. The controversy began when the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) decided to refer 'Jana Nayagan' to a revising committee, despite an examining committee having initially cleared the film for certification after suggested cuts were made by the filmmakers. The CBFC's decision followed a complaint, reportedly from one of its own examining committee members, alleging that certain scenes could offend religious sentiments and that depictions of defence forces required expert review. On January 9, 2026, a single-judge bench of the Madras High Court, presided over by Justice PT Asha, ruled in favor of the filmmakers, directing the CBFC to issue the certificate immediately. However, hours later on the same day, a Division Bench intervened, staying this order, citing that the Central government (CBFC) had not been given adequate time to respond. The producers, KVN Productions, represented by K Venkat Narayana, swiftly approached the Supreme Court seeking an urgent listing of their appeal against this stay, emphasizing the significant financial losses and the impact on the film's planned Pongal release. The dispute has taken on political dimensions, with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is exerting pressure on the censor board to delay the film. 'Jana Nayagan' is widely considered to be actor Vijay's final film before he fully dedicates himself to politics, having recently launched his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), making its release a highly charged event with both cinematic and political implications in Tamil Nadu.