Vijay’s Jana Nayagan Pongal Release Postponed After Court Censor Setback

The eagerly awaited film Jana Nayagan, featuring Thalapathy Vijay in the lead role and originally planned for a worldwide release on January 9, 2026, has been officially rescheduled owing to issues with censorship and certification that are still unaddressed with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The delay was confirmed by international distributors located in Europe, Malaysia, and the US through social media on January 7, who referred to the situation as “unforeseen” and were requesting fans not to believe any rumors that have not been verified while waiting for updates from the production team.

Censor Certification Roadblock

One of the main reasons for this delay is that there is still a prolonged dispute over the CBFC clearance. Despite the submission of the film over a month ago, it is still not certified, and the board has been asking for cuts and muted lines as early as December 19. It is impossible to get the approvals for dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada without the original Tamil clearance, as it is a mandatory process. 

Madras High Court Intervention

The producers KVN Productions went to the Madras High Court to ask for urgent relief, which led to the court questioning the CBFC’s review process and the lack of producer notification during the hearings. Justice PT Asha reserved orders on January 7, directing a fresh CBFC committee review with a verdict expected on January 9, the original release date.

Fan and Industry Fallout

The situation with the bookings was confused, and tickets in the black market reached Rs 2,000 in Tamil Nadu due to the hype around Vijay’s supposed last movie before entering politics. The postponement causes a major disturbance in the schedules for the Pongal festivities, theater disputes over revenue sharing, and plans for the use of theaters; thus, the exhibitors are the ones who suffer the most. H Vinoth is the director of this action drama that features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and others, and the story revolves around a former cop’s path to redemption.