(Image source from: Instagram.com/kvn.productions)
Problems appear to be continuing for Thalapathy Vijay's Jana Nayagan, which is expected to be the star's final film before he completely enters politics. A day after the film's creators sought legal assistance to get a certificate from the Censor Board, the Madras High Court announced on Wednesday that it will give its decision on the release day, which is Friday (January 9). Consequently, all shows before 10 am have been canceled. During the hearing on Wednesday, the court mentioned that a new committee from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) would review Jana Nayagan. This delay creates a significant challenge for the film's release. The Tamil version must be certified before the dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada can be approved. In the meantime, the option to 'Book Tickets' has been taken off BookMyShow in several cities due to recent updates in the censorship situation.
On Tuesday, the CBFC informed the Madras High Court that a new committee will examine the film after the producers sought clarity regarding its certification. The filmmakers approached the court because the movie could not get certification, even though they submitted it over a month ago. Initially scheduled for a hearing on January 6, the case was delayed to January 7, increasing pre-release anxiety. On December 19, the board had already recommended some cuts and muted dialogue. Interestingly, these last-minute issues have not lessened the excitement among Vijay's fans, as early ticket sales are at record highs in cities. In Karnataka, the first-day-first-show (FDFS) screenings starting at 6 am in single screens such as Gopalan Grand Mall, V Cinema, Sri Vinayaka, Cinephile HSR Layout, and Brundha RGB are fully booked on BookMyShow.
Kerala is also experiencing strong early activity, with market experts noting solid advance sales at single screens that showcase Vijay's large fan following. Early ticket sales overseas have reportedly surpassed Rs 25 crore. Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani, and Narain.
