CM Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ finally gets ‘A’ certificate from CBFC after months of lawsuits and delays, release date announced |

After months of litigation, licensing delays, piracy leaks and endless speculation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay ‘Jana Nayagan’ has received approval from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film was awarded an A certificate, ending the longest and most controversial streak in recent Tamil cinema. Its official duration is 3 hours and 3 minutes.Although the CBFC certificate has been uploaded on the board’s official website, the detailed cut-off list is yet to be revealed. According to industry reports, Vijay’s much-awaited farewell film is expected to hit the theaters on July 23 or July 24. The makers are yet to announce the official release date.Initially, ‘Jana Nayagan’ was slated to release on January 9 ahead of the Pongal celebrations and months before Vijay’s campaign starts. The film was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025, but instead of receiving the certificate within the stipulated time, it was caught and approved for a long time.The test committee initially asked the producers to implement some changes. After the requested changes were made and the film was resubmitted, the producers said they were informed that the film was deemed eligible for a U/A certificate.However, the certification process ran into yet another problem after one of the members of the screening committee objected internally, saying that some parts of the film could harm public opinion. Following the complaint, the work was halted, and the makers were advised to submit the film to a revision committee. At the same time, unconfirmed reports suggest that the release of the film may affect Vijay’s prospects in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, scheduled for April 23.On January 6, production banner KVN Productions moved the Madras High Court, seeking directions to expedite the licensing process.As the delay grew from weeks to months, the producers argued in court that the long wait jeopardized the planned release. However, legal intervention did not immediately solve the problem. After almost a month of cases reaching the Supreme Court, KVN Productions finally dropped its petition and decided to send the film to the revision committee instead.

The release of ‘Jana Nayagan’ created controversy

The controversy escalated in April when a popular version of ‘Jana Nayagan’ surfaced online even before the film received CBFC clearance.The Tamil Nadu police later arrested several people in connection with the leak, including a freelance video editor. Later, in the Madras High Court, prosecutors revealed that the treasonous book had been viewed by about 1.2 crore people, before the authorities blocked it.The researchers say that the released version has been using images that were copied from an exchange before being published on the crime website. Meanwhile, opinions about the film only increased on social media.A few days ago, a fake CBFC certificate stating that ‘Jana Nayagan’ has already been given an A certificate went viral on the internet. The X account that shared the document later admitted it was fake. It later came to light that a fake certificate was created by altering Vijay’s ‘Leo’ certificate, adding to the confusion among fans.Rumors about the release date also increased after the exporters showed it on July 24. Some reports suggest that the makers are considering the release on July 23 based on their final strategy. Canadian show York Cinemas also announced a July 24 release before KVN Productions announced anything.Now that the licensing process is over, attention has shifted to KVN Productions, which is expected to announce a theatrical release date soon.Directed by H Vinoth, ‘Jana Nayagan’ stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev MenonPrakash Raj and Narain. Widely touted as Vijay’s last film before his political career, the project has garnered incredible anticipation, and its seven-month saga has become one of the most talked-about episodes in recent Tamil cinema.