As the first week of January unfolded Tamil Cinema found itself at the center of a very public confrontation with regards to film certification. Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi and Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan are yet to receive their censor certificate while their releases are lined up for 9th January and 10th January respectively. While the makers of Jana Nayagan took the Central Board for Film Certification to court over the delay in issuing the certificate despite it agreeing to all the cuts asked by the board – the makers of Parasakthi believed to not to make a hue and cry over the issue. As per reports coming in, Parasakthi would be getting its certificate today as they have agreed to all 23 cuts the board asked them for. Parasakthi has been directed by Sudha Kongara and also features Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa and Sreeleela. But the battle between Jana Nayagan and the CBFC is still ongoing. It has become the first major escalation of 2026 in an industry that has spent the last year negotiating questions of creative freedom, political sensitivities, and the shifting power equation between filmmakers, state institutions, and certification bodies.
2025: A PRELUDE OF CENSOR FLASHPOINTSThe Jana Nayagan episode arrived on the back of a year in which the Central Board of Film Certification faced sustained scrutiny for its handling of socially and politically sensitive cinema.In 2025, four films ,Dhadak 2, Phule, Santosh, and Panjab ’95 ,became markers in an ongoing conversation about censorship.Dhadak 2 and Phule, both engaging directly with caste realities, were reportedly subjected to multiple cuts before receiving theatrical clearance. Filmmakers and critics argued that toning down caste discourse effectively diluted the thematic core of these films.The case of Santosh was more international in tone. Having already been selected as the UK’s official Oscar entry, the film was lined up for a domestic theatrical release but CBFC denied the certificate citing concerns over its depiction of police brutality, misogyny, caste discrimination, and Islamophobia in North India. At one point the film was slated to have an OTT release in India but that was also halted at the last minute.The most explosive controversy emerged around Panjab ’95, starring Diljit Dosanjh and based on the life of Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Initially set for a February 7 release, the date was quietly withdrawn, and months later director Honey Trehan publicly claimed the CBFC demanded as many as 127 cuts. Trehan framed it as a “deliberate attempt to silence uncomfortable narratives,” igniting debate on whether censorship had crossed from content certification into historical sanitization.These incidents fueled a broader industry sentiment: that certification had become unpredictable terrain, especially for films rooted in political, historical, or identity-driven themes.AN INDUSTRY REORGANIZING ITS RISKAgainst this backdrop, theatrical timelines have become fragile. Studios now have to map certification risk alongside marketing timelines, festival runs, and OTT negotiations. In several cases through 2025, producers quietly adjusted release strategies ,either by toning down material preemptively or by diverting films directly to streaming, bypassing certification entirely.OTT platforms, once viewed as a pressure valve for unconventional storytelling, have themselves begun toeing the line with the establishment. Jana Nayagan Drama According to submissions made before the Madras High Court, the certification of Jana Nayagan initially proceeded in a routine and orderly manner. KVN Productions applied for censor certification on December 18, 2025, and the CBFC’s regional office acknowledged the application the next day. On December 22, the Examining Committee viewed the film and recommended a “UA” certificate with excisions relating to religious sensitivity, intense action involving gunfire, blasts and stabbings, and certain gory visuals — observations common for large-scale action thrillers.The producers told the court they complied fully with the suggested changes and resubmitted a revised version on December 24. After verification, the regional office reportedly informed them on December 29 that a “UA” certificate would be issued. However, no certificate was ultimately granted.The key twist arrived on January 5, 2026 just four days before release when the CBFC notified the producers that the “competent authority” had referred the film to the Revising Committee under Rule 24, citing a complaint alleging religious hurt and objectionable portrayal of the armed forces. The producers challenged this as arbitrary, arguing the complaint was vague, undisclosed, and procedurally improper after compliance and near-clearanceWhen the court met again on 6th January,Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ARL Sundaresan representing CBFC stated that the film has been sent for re-review on the instruction of the Chairman and he’s well within his rights to do so. And because of this the film had to be delayed from its original release date. Many industry folks have stepped out in support of Vijay and Jana Nayagan, taking to Twitter actor Ravi Mohan wrote, “ Heartbroken @actorvijay Anna.. as a brother I’m standing with you as one among the millions of brothers beside you. You don’t need a date.. you are the opening. Whenever that date is.. Pongal only starts then. #istandwithvijayanna” Writer- director Ajay R Ganananmuthu called the move a misuse of power. On Twitter he said “ Absolute misuse of power.. Any film is not just about one person, it has hundreds and hundreds of peoples’ efforts, and money involved for a film to reach the screens. All strength to the team. It’s a Thalapathy’s film and his farewell film and we will celebrate it like never before whenever it releases!!” Shanthnu also wrote, “ Heartbroken to see wtv is happening around #JanaNayagan release . I’m sure everyone , WHOEVER it may be, all the fans and audience will stand by the team of #JanaNayagan for what is right !!! @actorvijay Anna , as a brother I will stand by you and “We” as an audience and fans stand for the team .Pongal starts ONLY with #JanaNayaganrelease “A POLITICAL SEASON AHEADThe timing of this confrontation is also notable. 2026-2027 sets up a political environment where film, messaging, and electoral narratives are likely to collide more frequently. Vijay’s political entry shifts Tamil Nadu’s cultural field, and films that intersect with politics ,whether directly or through their stars ,are now more susceptible to institutional pressure, public mobilization, and narrative framing.The Jana Nayagan courtroom tension illustrated how quickly a certification dispute can transform into discourse about state interference, artistic freedom, and electoral gamesmanship. The industry is aware that politically adjacent cinema in the coming years will be watched not only by audiences but by institutions, parties, and opposition camps.WHAT JANA NAYAGAN SIGNALS FOR 2026Whether the film ultimately releases without further turbulence is only one dimension of the story. Its real significance lies in how it opens 2026:• with an escalation• with a courtroom• with an audience watching real time• and with an unresolved debate over who gets to decide what reaches the screenIf 2025 established the pattern ,from Dhadak 2 to Panjab ’95 ,then Jana Nayagan represents the next stage: where certification clashes are no longer simmering controversies but live events, legalized, politicized, and fought under public scrutiny.For a film industry that prides itself on spectacle, it is telling that the year’s first spectacle happened not in a cinema hall, but in a courtroom.
About the Author
