Vijay starrer Jana Nayagan clears censor formalites; gets A certificate

The wait is finally over for Vijay’s fans. After months of uncertainty, legal battles and swirling rumours, Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is finally ready for the big screen. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has awarded the film an ‘A’ certificate, ending a prolonged certification process that became one of the most talked-about censor disputes in recent Tamil cinema.

Suprith Mohan, business head and producer at KVN Productions, confirmed to SCREEN that CBFC has issued an ‘A’ certificate for Jana Nayagan. Mohan also confirmed that the Vijay-starrer will hit screens on July 24.

“We‘ll be releasing the movie worldwide on July 24,” he said.

Also Read – Jana Nayagan release update: Distributors informed about July 24 release window

A film that spent months in certification limbo

What was meant to be Vijay‘s Pongal release soon turned into a lengthy battle with the censor board.

Jana Nayagan was originally scheduled to release on January 9, ahead of the Pongal holidays, and was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025. While certification is typically completed within weeks, the film remained stuck for months after the examining committee recommended modifications.

The makers implemented the suggested changes and resubmitted the film, but the process failed to move forward.

Story continues below this ad

With the release indefinitely delayed, producer KVN Productions eventually approached the High Court, arguing that the certification deadlock had derailed the film’s theatrical plans. Even then, the matter remained unresolved for several months.

Piracy leak

While the certification process remained stalled, the film found itself at the centre of another controversy in April when an unfinished high-definition version surfaced online.

The leak triggered a police investigation that led to multiple arrests, including that of a freelance film editor.

During court proceedings, Tamil Nadu Police reportedly informed the Madras High Court that the pirated version had been watched nearly 1.2 crore times before authorities managed to block access.

Story continues below this ad

Overseas distributors were already preparing for release

Signs that the stalemate was finally ending emerged earlier when overseas distributors were asked to prepare for the film’s release.

Industry tracker Ramesh Bala earlier told SCREEN that the makers were expecting the censor certificate and had alerted international distributors to begin booking screens.

“The censor certificate is expected this Saturday. International distributors have been told in advance because they need to book screens early.”

He explained that domestic exhibitors were being handled differently.

“Indian distributors have been informed informally for now. Once the certificate comes through, the makers will announce the date officially. In India, screens can be booked even two days before release, so there is no rush.”

Story continues below this ad

Also Read – Long before historic election win, Vijay used ‘pookie’ innocence to conquer Tamil cinema

A distributor from the region also confirmed that July 24 was being treated as the likely release date.

“We were told that July 24 is the most likely release window for Jana Nayagan, and that this time there will be no trouble in obtaining the certificate.”

Several overseas distributors subsequently began promoting the expected release on social media. Canada’s York Cinemas was among the first to announce that it would release the film from July 24, even before KVN Productions issued an official statement.

Story continues below this ad

Vijay’s final film before politics

Directed by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan was widely touted as Vijay’s farewell film before his full-time political career. Ironically, the prolonged certification delay means the film will now release after Vijay has already taken office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The film stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain and Priyamani.