Jana Nayagan Censor Row: Why Vijay-Starrer Political Drama May Face Delay Ahead Of January 9 Release

New Delhi: Thalapathy Vijay’s upcoming political drama Jana Nayagan has landed in trouble and may see a delay in its theatrical release. The film, which was earlier slated to hit cinemas on January 9, is currently stuck after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) withheld its certification.

Just a day after the makers of the Tamil film sought legal remedy to obtain the censor certificate, the Madras High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict, which is expected on the proposed release day, Friday, January 9.

The producers of Jana Nayagan told the court that they had adhered to the CBFC’s recommendations and were fully compliant with the suggested changes. However, the board reportedly held back the certification, delaying the dispatch of final prints to theatres. During Wednesday’s hearing, the Madras High Court questioned the CBFC over its decision to reopen the certification process for the film.

This delay has effectively led to the cancellation of all pre-10 am shows by default.

The court also stated that Jana Nayagan would now be reviewed by a newly constituted committee of the CBFC.

Will Jana Nayagan Face a Release Delay?

The delay in certification could significantly impact the film’s release, as clearance of the Tamil version is mandatory before approving the dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Meanwhile, ticket booking options for Jana Nayagan have reportedly been removed from BookMyShow in some cities following the latest developments in the censorship case.

The matter reached the High Court after the producers approached it over prolonged delays in securing certification, despite submitting the film over a month ago under the Tatkal process. During the hearing, Justice P.T. Asha examined the issue in detail, while the CBFC, represented by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) defended its actions.

Notably, the board had already suggested certain alterations, including cuts and muted dialogues, on December 19.

Despite the uncertainty, advance bookings for Jana Nayagan remain strong. In Karnataka, first-day-first-show (FDFS) screenings starting as early as 6 am at single screens such as Gopalan Grand Mall, V Cinema, Sri Vinayaka, Cinephile HSR Layout, and Brundha RGB are already sold out on BookMyShow.

Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani, and Narain.