Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday weighed in on the delay surrounding the filmJana Nayagan , actor Thalapathy Vijay’s final film before his full-time political entry.
The project is now entangled in a certification dispute that has now reached the Madras High Court.
Rahul Gandhi intervened to publicly support the film, which was originally scheduled for a January 9 theatrical release but was postponed after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) did not grant clearance in time.
Vijay’s supporters have alleged political pressure behind the delay, a claim the Congress leadership has echoed.
Taking to X, the LoP in the Lok Sabha wrote, “The I&B Ministry’s attempt to block ‘Jana Nayagan’ is an attack on Tamil culture.”
He added, “Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people.”
Girish Chodankar, the Congress’s Tamil Nadu in-charge and a key figure in alliance talks with the ruling DMK, alleged that the Centre was deliberately creating hurdles for the film.
Earlier, in a post addressed to PM Modi, Chodankar accused the government of interfering in the CBFC’s functioning for political reasons. He challenged the Prime Minister to “prove 56-inch chest claim” by taking on “Vijay, the politician,” rather than “Vijay, the actor.”
All India Professionals’ Congress chairperson Praveen Chakravarty too, shared a 2017 tweet by Rahul Gandhi during the controversy around Vijay’s film Mersal.
At the time, Rahul Gandhi had written, “Mr Modi, cinema is a deep expression of Tamil culture and language. Don’t try to demonetise Tamil pride by interfering in Mersal.”
On Friday, the Madras High Court initially directed the CBFC to “forthwith” grant a U/A certificate to the film. Pronouncing the order, Justice P.T. Asha said, “After examining materials, it is crystal clear that the complainant’s grievance appears to be an after thought.”
The court cautioned that entertaining such complaints could lead to a “dangerous trend.”
The single judge further held that the CBFC’s position was unsustainable, observing that “once the modifications recommended by the examining committee is carried out, the certificate for the film would automatically follow.”
However, the relief proved short-lived.
Later the same day, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan stayed the directive, effectively preventing the film’s release before January 21.
The bench noted that the CBFC had not been given adequate time to respond to the plea.
“What was the urgency that the respondent (Board) was asked to respond to the plea and the matter was decided within two days?” the court asked.
The court also remarked that the producers could have waited for the certificate. “You're creating an urgency and putting pressure on the court. False state of urgency is being created,” the bench said.
The controversy has prompted responses from across the film industry.
Veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan called for a broader overhaul of India’s film certification process. In an open letter, Haasan said the issue extended beyond one film and raised fundamental questions about freedom of expression.
“India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, guided by reason, never diminished by opacity. This moment is larger than any one film; it reflects the space we accord art and artists in a constitutional democracy,” he said.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma also criticised the CBFC, calling it outdated and disconnected from the realities of a digital world. “It is truly foolish to think that the censor board is still relevant today,” Varma said, arguing that the institution has “long outlived its purpose.”
Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Priyamani. The film’s music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and it is produced by Venkat K. Narayana.
The next hearing is scheduled for January 21.