After months of uncertainty, ‘Jana Nayagan’ is finally gearing up for its world premiere on July 23. The film, starring Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Vijay in what is expected to be his last film before his full-time political journey, was originally slated for a Pongal release. However, the project remained stuck for almost six months due to delays in getting its censor certificate. With the release date set, director H Vinoth has released information about the various hurdles his team faced that delayed the film, how the problem was overcome and also addressed the controversy surrounding the leaked version of the film.
H Vinoth reveals why the release of ‘Jana Nayagan’ was delayed.
Talking about the censorship process in an interview to Cinema Vikatan, H Vinoth said that the team had started the certification work much earlier than usual. “Normally, we start the censor process about 10 days before the release. This time, we started almost 20 days in advance. The board saw the film immediately and told us that there was no problem with the film itself. They agreed to give us a U/A 16+ certificate if we remove some violent scenes. We took their suggestions and started making those changes,” he said.The director explained that the edits involved some CGI work, which required an extra day. “After completing these changes, we came back with the updated version. Then we were asked to make some more changes. We also accepted them. But when we tried to upload the revised version, we were unable to access the online portal. We informed them through phone calls and emails and even contacted the head office,” Vinoth added.
H Vinoth says uncertainty over the censor process has added to the delay
according to H. Vinoththe team later learned that a complaint had been filed against the film, causing the process to be put on hold. “We were told that the portal was blocked due to a complaint received against the film. By then, theaters, distributors and fans had already spent huge amounts preparing for the release. We had to respond to everyone, but we ourselves did not know whether the film would receive its certificate or not,” he said.He further claimed that the team decided to approach the court only after repeated attempts to get clarity failed. “We didn’t get either approval or rejection. Only after filing the case did we get a reply saying that the film would be re-examined. I think the problem was never with the Censor Board. There may have been other reasons behind the delay, but without evidence, I can’t name anyone. The law has its own powers and I don’t want to make allegations without evidence,” said H Vinoth.
H Vinoth also addresses the ‘Jana Nayagan’ leak controversy.
Apart from the censor delay, H Vinoth also opened up on the film’s piracy issue and explained why Vijay chose not to react publicly. “Vijay sir did not tweet as it would have turned into unnecessary criticism. We handled it legally, found the person responsible and now he is behind bars. No bail has been granted,” the director said. He further clarified that the leak was treated as a purely legal matter and was investigated by the police after a complaint was filed. “I think Mr Vijay did not get involved because he could have diverted the matter and invited criticism,” Vinoth added. With the censor hurdles and piracy controversy now behind them, ‘Jana Nayagan’ is all set for its much-awaited theatrical release on July 23, with fans eagerly waiting to see Vijay’s final film on the big screen.