Vijay’s A-certified ‘Jana Nayagan’ is finally coming to theatres

The wait for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's film ‘Jana Nayagan,’ which had been delayed due to censorship issues, is finally over. Although speculation had been mounting over the past few days, the makers officially confirmed the development on Saturday.

Production house KVN Productions shared the announcement on social media with the caption, "See you soon in theatres, nanba & nanbis," revealing that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has granted the film an 'A' certificate.

While the makers are yet to announce an official release date, industry speculation suggests that ‘Jana Nayagan’ will hit theatres on July 24. According to PTI, a source from the Tamil Nadu Film Distributors' Association said the film is expected to be screened in around 1,000 theatres across the state from that date.

Directed by H. Vinoth, known for films such as ‘Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru’ and ‘Nerkonda Paarvai,’ ‘Jana Nayagan’ received its censor certificate after a prolonged seven-month battle. Widely regarded as Vijay's final film before his full-time transition into politics, ‘Jana Nayagan’ is produced by Bengaluru-based KVN Productions. During the prolonged delay, Vijay made one of the most dramatic political transitions in Tamil Nadu's recent history, with his party, TVK, winning the state elections and Vijay assuming office as the Chief Minister.

The film's certification process was marked by legal hurdles, prolonged delays, and a major piracy controversy. Originally scheduled for a Pongal release on January 9, 2026, the film was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025.

According to reports, after the makers implemented changes suggested by the examining committee, the film was initially considered eligible for a 'U/A' certificate. However, the process came to a halt after a committee member raised an internal objection, claiming that certain scenes could hurt public sentiments.

On January 6, KVN Productions approached the Madras High Court, seeking directions to expedite the certification process. After nearly a month of legal proceedings, including hearings before the Supreme Court, the producers withdrew their petition and opted to present the film before the CBFC's revising committee.

The controversy intensified in April when a high-definition version of the uncertified film was leaked online. During proceedings before the Madras High Court, prosecutors stated that the pirated copy had been viewed nearly 1.2 crore times before access to it was successfully blocked.

Tamil Nadu Police subsequently arrested multiple individuals in connection with the leak, including a freelance film editor who allegedly obtained the footage from an editing facility. ‘Jana Nayagan’ features an ensemble cast comprising Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.

The film's music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, with cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. The film is also said to be based on Anil Ravipudi's ‘Bhagavanth Kesari,’ although the makers have neither confirmed nor denied the reports.