Madras High Court upholds Deepam order, slams DMK, Vijay's film faces censor hurdle, more

A legal and political battle has intensified in Tamil Nadu over the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Tiruparankundram hill shrine. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court permitted the ritual, dismissing the state government's objections related to law and order and the shrine's proximity to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah. The DMK-led government, citing potential communal disharmony, has announced it will appeal the decision in the Supreme Court. This has triggered sharp responses from the AIADMK and BJP, who accuse the government of divisive politics. This special report also covers the hurdles facing actor Thalapathy Vijay’s final film, 'Jananayagam'. Positioned as a political launch for his TVK party, the movie is awaiting censor clearance just days before its scheduled January 9 Pongal release, creating uncertainty.