Now that Vijay's the CM, will 'Jana Nayagan' release soon?
What's the story
Actor-turned-politician Vijay, the recently elected Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has reportedly turned his attention to the release of his film Jana Nayagan. The movie, meant to be his swan song before he fully devoted himself to politics, was earlier stuck due to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) denying it certification. Now, Vijay has apparently asked producer Venkat K Narayana to return from the Cannes Film Festival and expedite the film's release process.
Film's status
Efforts are underway to expedite the release
The film has been with the revising committee for several weeks now. Sources told India Today that efforts are being made to obtain the necessary approvals. Once granted, the production team will work on facilitating its release. The CBFC had earlier flagged certain scenes in Jana Nayagan for potentially hurting public sentiments, leading to a legal standoff and subsequent postponement of its release. Last month, Vijay had alleged a "joint conspiracy" behind the stalling of the film.
Challenges
Makers sought censor certificate in court
After the CBFC raised concerns over certain scenes, the makers sought a censor certificate in court for its planned January 9 release. This led to a month-long legal standoff, delaying the film's release. Later, they withdrew their case against CBFC and agreed to send it to the revising committee. However, there has been no official update on its certification process since then.
Controversy
Film's leak led to arrests, legal complications
The film also faced a major setback when an HD print was leaked online on April 9. Following this, Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Police arrested nine people, including three key accused. One of the main accused was reportedly a freelance editor who had illegally accessed the footage and uploaded it online. The film's editor, Pradeep E Ragav, was subsequently suspended by the editors' association for working with this freelance editor.
Film details
Everything to know about 'Jana Nayagan'
Produced by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan is a political action drama featuring Vijay, Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde, Prakash Raj, Bobby Deol, and Gautham Menon, among others. The film has been reported to have a budget of ₹500 crore. With fresh efforts underway and Narayana returning to Chennai, the film's stalled release has once again come into focus.