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Sreeleela completes her MBBS graduation; is officially a doctor now

Actress Sreeleela made her acting debut at the age of 16 as a child artist. Despite starting her journey to becoming a popular actress at a very young age, the actress did not give up on her dream of becoming a doctor. The actress juggled between sets and studies, and looks like her hard work has finally paid off. The actress has been conferred with an MBBS degree at the convocation ceremony, held recently Sreeleela completed her medical degree Sreeleela has officially completed her MBBS degree and is set to step into the world as a qualified doctor. While dominating the film industry and spreading her wings across different language cinema, the actress has balanced her medical studies alongside back-to-back shoots and promotions. And now, the day arrived, when she was awarded her degree. Finally Dr SreeleelaIt's great to finish a degree like MBBS which is very tough in itself Her hardworking personality 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/SBeZOEx2n0 — Swamy Naidu Lenka (@SwamyNaiduLenka) February 11, 2026 Viral visuals are flooding social media from her convocation ceremony, where she dons a gown and cap, beaming as she receives her degree.  Sreeleela's acting career Sreeleela made her acting debut in the 2017 Telugu film Chitrangada as a child artist, where she portrayed the younger version of Sindhu Tolani's character. She made her debut as a leading lady in the 2019 film Kiss. Notably, the filming for Kiss began in 2017, whenSreeleela was in the first year of her pre-university course Later in 2021, Sreeleela was cast in the romantic musical film Pelli SandaD, which marked her debut in Telugu cinema. Sreeleela gained widespread recognition after featuring in the dance number Kissik, from Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule. She has also won many awards for her performances. The actress is now set to make her big Bollywood debut alongside Kartik Aaryan in an Anurag Basu directorial. From early buzz in Kannada and Telugu cinema to her eagerly awaited Bollywood debut in Anurag Basu's musical romance, Sreeleela has built a pan-India profile. Now with a doctor's degree in her kitty, Sreeleela proves her rock-solid discipline and true dedication by completing tough medical studies alongside a hectic film career. Meanwhile, fans are eagerly waiting to see her magic light up the big screen in her still untitled Bollywood debut film.

11 February,2026 04:57 PM IST | Mumbai
Allu Arjun

Podcaster takes down video on Allu Arjun following ‘coordinated harassment’

Allu Arjun has been in the news after a viral podcast clip saw a brand manager speak about his alleged set of dos and don’ts while meeting him. Brand manager Kaveri Baruah was in conversation on the Sweekriti Talks podcast, where she shared her experience of meeting the actor. She claimed that Allu Arjun has a list of 42 dos and don’ts, including avoiding direct eye contact and handshakes. The clip soon went viral. Podcaster calls out Allu Arjun's team for harassment Shortly after, Allu Arjun’s team called the comments baseless and warned that legal action would be initiated. Now, the podcast host has revealed that she was forced to take down the video following alleged harassment directed at her guest. On Tuesday evening, podcaster Sweekriti took to her Instagram Stories and shared that she had removed the video from all social platforms, including YouTube. She wrote, “I've removed the video after my guest faced coordinated harassment from PR machinery and bot accounts.” Sweekriti expressed her disappointment over the situation and the alleged harassment faced by her guest. “She holds a responsible position in a reputed organization, and I refuse to let her career be jeopardized due to online bullying. The discussion was factual and professional, not defamatory. But protecting a real person will always take priority over engaging with power that refuses accountability,” she wrote. She further added, “Allu Arjun & his team are sheer losers, & just power hungry.” In another note, she alleged that Arjun and his team were “attacking” her. “A woman can't live in peace & make content on the internet!! Shocking. Allu Arjun PR attacking me. Well, abusing me, saying negative things about me can never pull me down. Keep going, bots,” she wrote. In another post, she added, “I finally understand what happens when people speak the truth,” urging members of the Telugu film industry to speak up. The host also shared screenshots of derogatory comments she claimed to have received from Allu Arjun’s fandom on social media. Viral claims about Allu Arjun Kaveri Baruah spoke about certain rules that allegedly had to be followed before meeting the Telugu superstar, putting him in a negative light. Kaveri, who reportedly worked with Royal Enfield’s brand strategy team, claimed, “Before meeting him, we had a note which had 42 dos and don’ts — don’t look into sir’s eyes, don’t shake your hand.” She further alleged that the actor operates with multiple layers of management. “They have a manager’s manager’s manager. They are very strict,” she said. However, when pressed for more details, Kaveri declined to elaborate further, saying, “Mere ko kya pata? Aur nahi bataungi main (How would I know? I won’t say anything else),” which left many netizens sceptical about the authenticity of her claims. Allu Arjun’s team warns of legal action The clip from the podcast soon went viral, sparking widespread discussion on social media. As the comments gained traction, Allu Arjun’s team released an official statement of clarification. The statement read, “Certain recent comments made about Mr. Allu Arjun are completely baseless and untrue. He has always conducted himself with the utmost dignity and honour. We take these false allegations seriously. Our legal team is initiating defamation proceedings against those responsible. We request everyone to refrain from spreading unverified information.”

11 February,2026 01:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Aparshakti Khurana in Root

Aparshakti Khurana talks about the challenges of acting in Tamil for Root

Aparshakti Khurana stepped into Bollywood almost a decade ago with Dangal (2016), and now he’s geared up for a promising Tamil debut with Root: Running Out Of Time, also starring Gautham Ram Kartik! Speaking about the film, the actor says, “I saw the rushes of a web series that the film’s director, Sooriyaprathap sir, had made, and it looked promising. So, I decided to collaborate with him." Aparshakti Khurana about acting in Tamil Opening up about acting in a language he doesn’t think in, the actor says, "It's difficult to enact in a language that you are not thinking in,” revealing that he had to think in English, translate it and then deliver the performance. “It changes your impromptu behaviour and certain reflexes. Having said that, before hitting the floor, we did enough workshops to understand the language we are entering."  Speaking about the audience today accepting cinema irrespective of the language, Aparshakti expresses happiness to see the blurring of boundaries between industries and artistes working across languages. “We all stay in India, and when audiences have started accepting all sorts of languages and cinema, why shouldn't artistes from one world be cast in another? It's a lot of fun for the actor, writer, director, and audience to see what comes out of it. I'm looking forward to working in different languages," he mentions. Speaking of Root, Aparshakti mentions that working on the film was a very "fine experience of filmmaking." He adds, "Before Root, there were a couple of Tamil scripts that came my way. However, the talks did not progress further. It's beautiful to be working with this amazing and talented cast and crew. We've made a film that all of us are very proud of. It's extremely different from what I've done so far. Now, I'm already reading another Tamil script."  Aparshakti Khurana's work front Opening up about his upcoming projects, the actor reveals, "I'm currently shooting my first action film, Gunmaaster G9. Another release of mine this year will be Badtameez Gill, a story of a dysfunctional Punjabi family featuring Vaani Kapoor and me as siblings, with Paresh Rawal and Sheeba Chadha playing our parents." Written and directed by Sooriyaprathap S, Root – Running Out of Time is produced by Shaik Mujeeb, RajaRajan Gnanasambandam, Sanjai Shankar and Dhanishtan Fernando under the banner of Verus Productions. In addition to Gautham Ram Karthik and Aparshakti Khurana, the ensemble cast includes Narain, Bhavya Trikha, Y Gee Mahendra, Pavni Reddy, Linga and RJ Anandhi in key roles.

11 February,2026 01:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Picture Courtesy/Varun Konidela's Instagram account

Varun Tej expresses gratitude as Tholiprema completes eight years

As his romantic drama film Tholiprema completed eight years in Indian cinema, actor Varun Konidela took a stroll down memory lane and recalled why it is still so special to him.  Varun took to Instagram, where he shared a string of throwback pictures from the shoot of the 2018 film.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Varun Tej Konidela (@varunkonidela7) He went on to add: “Some films stay with you long after the cameras stop rolling. Tholiprema is one such chapter that was made with so much love and with some incredible people. Not just a memory, but something far deeper. 8 years and forever grateful.” Tholiprema was directed by Venky Atluri. The film stars Varun Tej and Raashii Khanna. The music is composed by S. Thaman. It was remade in Bengali as Fidaa, named after the 2017 Telugu film of the same name, which also stars Varun Tej. The film traces the story of Aditya, an outgoing young man, who falls in love with Varsha, an introvert. Varsha has feelings for him, but is reluctant to profess them, and they both part ways only to meet again after a few years. Varun made his acting debut in 2014 with Mukunda. He received praise for featuring in Krish's critically acclaimed war film Kanche. The actor, who is the son of Nagendra Babu, established himself as a leading actor with the romantic drama Fidaa. He has since starred in films including Gaddalakonda Ganesh, F2 and F3. The actor was last seen in Matka, a period action thriller film written and directed by Karuna Kumar. It also stars Meenakshi Chaudhary and Nora Fatehi. The film is based on the life of the Matka gambler Ratan Khetri. The story takes place between 1934 and 1988 in Visakhapatnam, based on real-life incidents. It follows the life of Vasu, a young man who is lured into the Matka gambler business and gets entangled in the complex world of crime, deceit, and betrayal. The actor is married to Lavanya Tripathi, whom he met on the sets of their film Mister in 2017 and eventually started dating. They went on to work together in Antariksham 9000 KMPH in 2018. The couple got engaged on 8 June 2023 in Hyderabad. The couple got married on 1 November 2023 in Tuscany, Italy. On 9 September 2025, they welcomed their son, whom they named Vaayuv Tej Konidela. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

11 February,2026 11:13 AM IST | Mumbai | IANS
Pic/X

Rajinikanth praises the team of With Love, daughter Soundarya grows elated

Disclosing that her dad, Superstar Rajinikanth, had met the entire team of director Madhan's superhit film With Love and appreciated them, Soundarya Rajinikanth on Tuesday called the meeting of the team with her dad not just a meeting, "but an emotion". Taking to her social media timelines to share a video clip that showed a very happy Rajinikanth meeting the entire unit of her film With Love, which has now emerged as a success, Soundarya Rajinikanth wrote, "With love, with the one and only, my appa. This is not just a meet, This is an emotion. Superstar rajinikanth appreciates the WithLove team. Priceless moment! Starring Abishanjeevinth & AnaswaraRajan. A RSeanRoldan musical. Written & Directed by madhann_n. Produced by soundaryaarajni and mageshraj." With love , with the one and only , my appa ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️This is not just a meet, This is an emotion ❤️❤️❤️Superstar @rajinikanth appreciates the #WithLove team priceless moment 🎬✨Starring @Abishanjeevinth & #AnaswaraRajanA @RSeanRoldan musical 🎶Written & Directed by… pic.twitter.com/MwvkfMbKn3 — soundarya rajnikanth (@soundaryaarajni) February 10, 2026 The romantic comedy film, which was released on February 6, has taken a strong opening and has come in for praise from audiences and critics alike. It may be recalled that the film's title teaser had been released by none other than Rajinikanth himself. Sources close to the unit of the film had disclosed to IANS earlier that the entire film had been shot in Chennai and Trichy. The film, which was initially being tentatively referred to as PRNO4, had been garnering attention ever since it was announced as it marked the debut of director Abishan Jeevinth as an actor. Young Abishan Jeevinth was the director of the superhit film Tourist Family, which featured actors Sasikumar and Simran in the lead. The film, which was made on a modest budget and which was released earlier last year, went on to make over 90 crores at the box office, pleasantly surprising both critics and fans.   With Love had an excellent technical team working on it. It had one of the Tamil film industry's top music directors Sean Roldan scoring music for it. Cinematography for the film was by cameraman Shreyaas Krishna and editing was by Suresh Kumar. Art direction for the film was by Raj Kamal and Costumes were designed by Priya Ravi. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

11 February,2026 09:48 AM IST | Chennai | IANS
Nick Jonas with wife Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Pic/AFP

Nick Jonas says Priyanka Chopra's Varanasi will be 'incredible'

Pop singer Nick Jonas is sure his wife, Priyanka Chopra Jonas's upcoming Telugu-language epic action-adventure film Varanasi will be incredible. Directed by SS Rajamouli, known for his acclaimed films including RRR and the Baahubali franchise, the film also features Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Nick said Priyanka has been shooting for the film for over 14 months. "Priyanka has been shooting for the last like 14 months on and off. It's a South Indian film by SS Rajamouli, who directed RRR. It's his next big film. It's gonna be incredible," he said in a podcast on Zach Sang Show. "I think that you know Priyanka is the sister of the country in a way... I'm happy to be, you know, sister's husband... so it's a beautiful thing...Having an amazing teammate in my wife, just the woman that she is has helped me and my daughter, we've all benefited from that, and it's amazing to walk side by side with someone as brilliant as her," he added. The film will release on April 7, 2027. Besides Varanasi, Priyanka will feature in The Bluff. Written and directed by Frank E Flowers, the film will begin streaming on Prime Video from February 25. Set against a gritty, high-octane backdrop, The Bluff follows a former pirate, played by Priyanka, who is trying to leave behind a violent past and protect her family. The ensemble cast includes Safia Oakley-Green, Temuera Morrison, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Zack Morris and David Field. The film is produced by filmmaker duo Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, and Angela Russo-Otstot under their banner AGBO. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

11 February,2026 09:37 AM IST | New Delhi | PTI
Allu Arjun

'No eye contact, no handshake': Allu Arjun reacts to viral claim on him

Amid viral claims suggesting that Allu Arjun has 42 rules for meeting people, the superstar has issued an official clarification. In a statement, he dismissed the comments as “baseless and untrue” and warned of legal action against those spreading misinformation. Viral claims about Allu Arjun The controversy erupted after brand manager Kaveri Baruah shared her experience of meeting the actor during an appearance on the Sweekriti Talks podcast. She spoke about certain rules that allegedly had to be followed before meeting the Telugu superstar, putting him in a negative light. Kaveri, who reportedly worked with Royal Enfield’s brand strategy team, claimed, “Before meeting him, we had a note which had 42 dos and don’ts — don’t look into sir’s eyes, don’t shake your hand.” She further alleged that the actor operates with multiple layers of management. “They have a manager’s manager’s manager. They are very strict,” she said. However, when pressed for more details, Kaveri declined to elaborate further, saying, “Mere ko kya pata? Aur nahi bataungi main (How would I know? I won’t say anything else),” which left many netizens sceptical about the authenticity of her claims. Allu Arjun's team warns legal action The clip from the podcast soon went viral, sparking widespread discussion on social media. As the comments gained traction, Allu Arjun’s team released an official statement of clarification. The statement read, “Certain recent comments made about Mr. Allu Arjun are completely baseless and untrue. He has always conducted himself with the utmost dignity and honour. We take these false allegations seriously. Our legal team is initiating defamation proceedings against those responsible. We request everyone to refrain from spreading unverified information.” An official note from Icon star @alluarjun’s Office. A recent video spreading baseless allegations about @alluarjun is completely false. The matter is being taken seriously, and legal action is being initiated against those responsible. Kindly refrain from sharing unverified… pic.twitter.com/sXhSNRsB36 — Team Allu Arjun (@TeamAAOfficial) February 10, 2026 Allu Arjun's work front  The actor was last seen in the film Pushpa 2 which was released in theatres in December 2025. The film directed by Sukumar also stars Rashmika Mandanna in the lead. It broke several box office records and made a mark in Indian cinema.  The actor is currently working on his next with Atlee. The sci-fi drama is mounted on a huge scale and also stars Deepika Padukone. The film reportedly also stars Janhvi Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur. 

10 February,2026 08:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jayaram

Kantara Chapter 1's Jayaram summoned by ED in Sabarimala gold theft case

Actor Jayaram, who gained acclaim for playing King Rajasekhara in Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1, has been named in the ongoing Sabarimala gold theft case. According to the latest reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned him for interrogation. Notably, this comes after Jayaram recorded his statement with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) a few days ago.  Jayaram summoned by ED The Kochi unit of ED registered an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) about a month ago.  As per the latest summons, the ED has asked Jayaram to appear on February 17 in the gold theft case associated with Unnikrishnan Potty, the primary accused. According to reports, temple artefacts, including gold-covered copper plates, were used for a private religious ceremony back in 2019, which was allegedly organised by Unnikrishnan Potty.  The ED had reportedly issued summons to 12 people after the gold theft case was lodged in October 2025. Jayaram is allegedly being investigated for his role in the ceremonies and financial connections with the primary accused. SIT questioned Jayaram Earlier, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had questioned Jayaram at his Chennai residence. He was asked about his participation in such rituals organised by Potty and how many times he has been a part of them. The case involves two incidents. One is the alleged removal of gold from the Dwarapalaka and the Sreekovil doorframes at the Sabarimala temple. The SIT has arrested 12 people in the matter, including two former Travancore Devaswom Board presidents, B Murari Babu and S Sreekumar. Although Jayaram hasn’t been named as an accused in the case, his questioning is limited to his participation in the puja. During the earlier SIT questioning, his statement was expected to provide additional information. Unnikrishnan Potty is a Bengaluru-based Malayali businessman as well as a former temple priest. He has been accused of conspiring to steal gold during maintenance works of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The Kollam Vigilance Court has granted him statutory (default) bail as the SIT failed to file the charge sheet within the stipulated 90-day period. Meanwhile, ED would reportedly be summoning him for further investigation.

10 February,2026 05:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Nayanthara in Toxic

Yash's Toxic gets acquired by Phars Films for international distribution

Even before it sets the box office on fire, Toxic has already rewritten the rules of the game. The film first made headlines by becoming the first non-Telugu film to seal a historic Rs 120 crore distribution deal with Dil Raju’s powerhouse banner Sri Venkateswara Creations (SVC) in the AP–TG market - a move that sent shockwaves across the Indian film industry. And now, the phenomenon has grown even bigger. Toxic makes historic deal for international distribution On the international front, Toxic has been acquired by Phars Film, one of the leading and most dominant overseas distributors, marking yet another colossal milestone in the film’s extraordinary pre-release journey. The deal is being touted as one of the highest-ever overseas acquisitions for an Indian film, with Rs 105 crore secured as advance on a commission basis, a staggering vote of confidence from the global market. The numbers show confidence of the market in the film and Rocking Star Yash, an indicator of ground-level buzz. Importantly, this landmark deal applies exclusively to the Indian-language versions (Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam) of Toxic, and does not include the English version - a crucial distinction that further underscores the immense standalone strength of the film’s Indian-language appeal overseas. The faith placed in Toxic isn’t without precedent. Yash’s previous outing, KGF: Chapter 2, delivered phenomenal and historic business across global markets, emerging as the highest-grossing Indian film in the GCC region and clocking extraordinary numbers across several international territories. That roaring global success has now laid the foundation for Toxic to aim even higher. The Yash-starrer is now gearing up for what is being planned as the widest international rollout ever for an Indian film, with releases scheduled across the entire world, except Nepal, Japan, and China. It’s an audacious move that firmly positions Toxic as a global cinematic event in the making. Toxic speaks universal cinematic language Mr Ahmad Golchin CEO & Founder of Phars Films says, "With Toxic, our goal was to tell a story that resonates beyond borders. We are proud to bring this film to international audiences and to see its themes connect across cultures. This overseas release marks an important milestone for Phars Film, and we’re excited for viewers worldwide to experience the intensity and emotional depth of Toxic.” Venkat K Narayana from KVN Productions adds, "Toxic has been envisioned as a film that speaks a universal cinematic language, and for a vision of this scale, we needed a partner with extraordinary global strength and credibility. Phars Films has consistently demonstrated an unparalleled ability to position Indian cinema powerfully across international markets, and we are proud to join hands with them for what is truly a landmark overseas distribution deal. With their expansive reach and strategic expertise, we are confident that Toxic will open to audiences worldwide with the scale, impact, and momentum it deserves, setting new benchmarks for global releases from Indian cinema." Written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas and directed by Geetu , Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups has been simultaneously shot in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and several other languages, underscoring the film’s global ambition. The film boasts a formidable technical lineup, with National Award-winning cinematographer Rajeev Ravi behind the lens, music composed by Ravi Basrur, editing by Ujwal Kulkarni, and production design by TP Abid.

10 February,2026 04:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ajith

Ajith loses cool over fan at Abu Dhabi racing event: 'Please behave yourself'

Actor Ajith Kumar is an active part of the international racing circuit as he continues to explore his passion for motorsport. The actor, who is currently in Abu Dhabi for a racing event, recently had an unpleasant interaction with a fan, which prompted him to step in and address the situation. A video of the actor schooling a fan at the event has since surfaced on social media. Ajith schools fan at racing event In the video, Ajith is seen interacting with fans who had gathered around him at the racing venue. However, the actor lost his cool when the crowd grew larger and chaotic, with fans pushing each other. Ajith was seen scolding the crowd for making noise during the event, saying, “Please behave yourself. This is not a theatre.” The actor then walked away from the location. This is not the first time Ajith has silenced unruly crowds. In October last year, the Tamil superstar visited the Tirumala temple for darshan. Several fans who spotted him began shouting to get his attention. However, Ajith calmly silenced them with a simple gesture. எப்படி da இவனுக்கு fans ahh இருக்கிறீங்க! சொந்த ரசிகரியே மதிக்கத் தெரியாத தற்குறி!🤦🏻அந்த ரசிகன் இல்ல na நீ எல்லாம் oru ஆளே கிடையாது! @Akracingoffl 😤pic.twitter.com/ZHJ1cqxhpD — ⚡ᴾᴷ AJITH ᴍᴀғɪᴀ😈 (@mafia_ajit85265) February 10, 2026 Celebrities who visited Ajith Sivakarthikeyan is the latest Tamil star to visit Ajith, whose team is currently participating in a series of international car racing competitions. A few days earlier, music director Yuvan Shankar Raja met Ajith Kumar at the Dubai Autodrome. This meeting came at a time when Ajith’s superhit film Mankatha, which was recently re-released, was performing strongly at the box office. Prior to this, actor Madhavan had also interacted with Ajith at the Dubai Autodrome. Earlier this month, actress Nayanthara and her director-husband Vignesh Shivan arrived at the circuit to cheer for Ajith during the Dubai 24H Series event. Before their visit, actor Sibi Sathyaraj had shared a video on X showing Ajith warmly welcoming him and his family at the circuit. Before Sibi, one of India's top music directors Anirudh had called on actor Ajith Kumar on the Marina Race Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, actor Ajith Kumar's efforts on the race track are to be made into a docu-film, which sources say will be released in theatres on May 1 this year on the occasion of his birthday. Sources close to the actor had confirmed to IANS that ace Tamil film director A L Vijay is directing this docu-film, which will be around 90 minutes long and will seek to inspire scores of youngsters to pursue their dreams.

10 February,2026 04:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Jana Nayagan poster

Jana Nayagan: Madras HC clears way for Vijay's film release amid CBFC row

The legal hurdles surrounding Vijay’s highly anticipated Tamil film Jana Nayagan appear to have been resolved, with the Madras High Court clearing the path for the film’s certification and eventual theatrical release. The development comes after the film’s producers chose to withdraw their petition against the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), bringing an end to a dispute that had stalled the project. All about the censorship row The controversy began when the CBFC’s examining committee reviewed the film in December 2025 and reportedly suggested several cuts before granting it a U/A certificate. The producers accepted the recommended changes and resubmitted the film, expecting the certification process to move forward smoothly. However, matters took an unexpected turn when a complaint from one of the committee members raised concerns about certain themes and visuals in the movie, particularly regarding their potential impact on public sentiment. As a result, the film was referred to a revising committee, delaying certification and prompting the makers to approach the court. The producers argued that the hold-up was affecting the film’s release plans and causing uncertainty within the industry. Originally scheduled to hit theatres on January 9, 2026, the film’s future became unclear as the legal proceedings unfolded. Madras HC paves way for the film During a hearing held on February 10, the Madras High Court permitted the producers to withdraw their plea. This decision effectively closed the legal chapter of the dispute and allows the film to continue through the CBFC’s standard review process. Industry observers view the move as a strategic choice by the makers, who appear to have opted for cooperation with the certification body rather than prolonging a courtroom battle. Although the film has now crossed a major obstacle, an official release date has yet to be announced. The timeline will likely depend on how quickly the revising committee completes its evaluation and grants the required certificate. Jana Nayagan has generated significant buzz among fans, with many eagerly awaiting updates. With the legal roadblock now removed, attention shifts to the certification process, which is expected to determine when the much-talked-about Vijay starrer finally arrives in cinemas.

10 February,2026 04:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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