The Madras High Court is scheduled to deliver its final verdict on the censor row surrounding actor-politician Vijay's film, Jana Nayagan, on January 27. The decision, which will be announced by the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan at 10:30 am, will resolve the appeals filed by the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) against a single judge's order to issue a UA 16+ certification for the film.

The legal battle began after the film's release was postponed due to censor-related issues that surfaced in December 2025. KVN Productions, the film's producer, then approached the High Court seeking directives for the CBFC to grant the UA 16+ certification that had been previously communicated.

On January 9, Justice Asha ruled in favor of KVN Productions, directing the CBFC to grant the film a censor certificate. However, the CBFC immediately filed an appeal, and a bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan stayed the single judge's order on the same day. The recent hearing on January 20 saw both the CBFC and the producer presenting their arguments, after which the bench reserved its order.

During the January 20 hearing, Additional Solicitor General ARL Sundaresan, representing the CBFC, clarified that the examining committee's recommendation to remove 14 portions from the film was only an intermediary step and that the CBFC chairperson was yet to make a final decision. Sundaresan explained that the producers were formally informed on January 6 that the film was being referred to a revising committee, even though earlier communication had suggested that the board had already reached a decision.

Jana Nayagan has become a highly anticipated film, marking Vijay's last on-screen appearance before his full-time entry into politics. If the High Court rules in favor of Vijay, it could pave the way for the film's theatrical release.