Big blow to Vijay fans: Madras High Court has quashed the single judge’s mandate for CBFC to certify ‘Leo’ pronto, opening doors to potential postponement of the star’s mega-release. The Tuesday pronouncement revives the board’s review mandate.
It all ignited pre-Pongal when KVN Productions’ ‘Leo’—slated for January 9—was pulled for revising committee vetting over objections. Court intervention favored makers initially, dictating UA cert post-edits and bypassing deeper scrutiny.
CBFC’s petition flipped the script, decrying procedural shortcuts. Division bench upheld their stance, vacating the order to ensure due process. Film stays uncertified, theaters on hold.
‘Leo’ packs Vijay’s mass-hero charisma against Sanjay Dutt’s villainy in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s taut thriller. With Trisha, Priya Anand, and Anirudh’s bangers, it was primed for Pongal dominance.
Escalation saw Supreme Court dismissal, looping back to High Court. Now, standard certification protocols resume, timeline unclear amid festival frenzy.
This saga amplifies calls for censor overhaul, balancing content safeguards with release urgency. For ‘Leo’, the wait intensifies hype but risks momentum loss. Producers ponder next moves as Vijay’s 2024 kickoff hangs in balance.