Overview
- Producer Venkat K Narayana issued a public apology and said the film was submitted on December 18, received a December 22 email indicating U/A 16+ subject to changes, and was referred to a revising committee on January 5 after a complaint.
- With certification on hold, the film missed its planned Pongal release on January 9, affecting fans, distributors and exhibitors who had prepared for the festival window.
- Kamal Haasan called for defined timelines, transparent evaluation and written reasons for cuts, while filmmakers including Mari Selvaraj, Ram Gopal Varma and Pa Ranjith, and political voices such as Tamil Nadu CM M. K. Stalin, criticized the current process.
- Reports state the makers are considering approaching the Supreme Court to expedite relief, though no formal move has been confirmed.
- The dispute carries added stakes as the film is widely framed as Thalapathy Vijay’s final outing before a full-time political shift, and the next Madras High Court hearing is scheduled for January 21.