Kerala High Court Allows Nayagan Re-Release Despite Legal Petition

Kochi, Kerala, India: The Kerala High Court has declined to issue a stay order on the re-release of the iconic Tamil film Nayagan, starring Kamal Haasan and directed by Mani Ratnam.

During the hearing on Thursday, Justice N. Senthil Kumar remarked that he personally admired the film and could even recount its scenes from memory. The judge noted that there was no justification to halt the film’s re-release since it was being distributed under a valid contractual agreement.

The case originated from a petition filed by S.R. Rajan, owner of S.R. Film Factory, in the Madras High Court. The petitioner alleged that V.S. Films was attempting to distribute the movie illegally in nearby states, despite S.R. Film Factory holding the legitimate re-release rights.

Originally released in 1987, Nayagan marked the debut of actress Saranya as a leading lady and went on to achieve classic status in Indian cinema. The film, which features a celebrated ensemble including Janakaraj, Nasser, Delhi Ganesh, Nizhalgal Ravi, Vijayan, M.V. Vasudeva Rao, Raja Krishnamurthy, and Tinu Anand, is set to hit theatres again on Thursday to coincide with Kamal Haasan’s birthday.

Justice Senthil Kumar shared that he had watched Nayagan 16 times and still vividly remembered its storyline, further expressing his fondness for the timeless production.