Jana Nayagan hoarding at a theatre in Chennai.
| Photo Credit:
Bijoy Ghosh

The denial of the Censor Board nod to Jana Nayagan, starring actor-turned-politician Vijay could potentially alter the political equation in the Tamil Nadu with Assembly polls three months away, and has set off various alliance possibilities, say political observers.

Jana Nayagan has been touted as the much-anticipated farewell film for Vijay, the founder of political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) who threw his hat into the TN political ring. The movie was scheduled to be released on January 9 but its release now stands indefinitely postponed due lack of censor certificate.

The film’s crew turned to the Madras High Court as a final option, with a single judge ordering the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to issue a U/A certificate. The producers went on appeal, which was shot down by a two-bench and posted the next hearing for January 21, thus making the festive release no longer possible.

While Vijay’s fans are disappointed and angry, political experts say the delay will likely act as a springboard for the actor to re-start his political ambitions after it suffered a setback with the loss of lives in his rally at Karur in September.

The DMK has criticised the Central Board of Film Certification stating it has become another organisation like the ED and CBI for the Centre pegging the issue squarely as a TVK vs BJP one.Joining the issue, actor-turned-politician and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan sought a re-look at the certification process amid row over delay in release Jana Nayagan, says “film industry must engage with government bodies.”

The Congress, on its part, has also taken Vijay’s also attacked the Centre for the film’s delay, and this is expected to give the Grand Old party a better bargaining power against the DMK in seat sharing as there have been murmurs of TVK and Vijay warming up to Congress and voicing support to Rahul Gandhi on various instances.

“Vijay is an anti-Modi force and pro-Rahul force. He issued a statement condemning Rahul Gandhi arrest in the entire ‘Vote Chori’ agitation. Vijay refrained from fielding 39 candidates to safeguard the interest of Rahul inclusive alliance in the 2024 parliament elections. The emergence of Vijay as a force in TN will be beneficial to Rahul Gandhi and detrimental to Modi’s interest,” said S Raveenthran Thuraiswamy, Political Strategist.

Another source said that political alliances do not seem firmed up yet in TN before the Assembly Polls.

“The Congress had already sought more Assembly seats from its partner DMK and even Ministership in the cabinet. This, however, the DMK will not accept, leaving the Congress to join hands with TVK. If this happens, there could be a three-way fight with the DMK going with CPI/CPM, VCK, MDMK and senior Ramdoss (PMK founder) and the AIADMK-led alliance having the BJP, PMK (Anbumani Ramdoss faction), DMDK and possibly Seeman,” the political analyst said.

Another political observer said that an actor’s popularity among fans may not always turn in to votes. He cited the example of Sivaji Ganesan, who had enormous fan base but could not win even one seat when he joined hands with VN Janaki Ramachandran (wife of MG Ramachandran) in the 1989 elections. Sivaji Ganesan himself was defeated by DMK candidate Durai Chandrasekaran in Tiruvayaru seat.

Published on January 11, 2026