From the ‘Sura’ backlash to the ‘Jana Nayagan’ dispute, Vijay is back in the public spotlight

Tamil star Vijay is back in the spotlight, long after he publicly called out abusive social media posts aimed at a woman journalist. Nearly a decade ago, he criticized fans who targeted Bengaluru-based journalist Dhanya Rajendran after her tweet about his film ‘Sura.’ Currently, Vijay is being questioned in an investigation, and his upcoming film, ‘Jana Nayagan,’ is involved in a certification dispute.

What happened in 2017?

The Hindustan Times reported in 2017 that journalist Dhanya Rajendran tweeted that she walked out of Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ and likened it to an earlier experience of walking out of Vijay’s ‘Sura,’ which released in 2010. The report said Vijay’s fans responded fast and angrily. Trolling grew over the coming days, with posts that included rape threats and remarks aimed at her family. The report also noted that supporters drove a hashtag that singled her out.




The journalist later approached the police, Hindustan Times reported. Her statement was recorded, and authorities began searching for four users who tweeted from anonymous accounts. Those accounts were later deleted, according to reports. Police registered cases under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002.

Vijay’s response and current developments

After the abuse came to light, Vijay released a statement condemning the attacks and appealed to his fans to stop. He said, “In society, I respect women the most ... whoever has the right to describe whatever the movie is according to their wish.” He added, “In my opinion, whatever the circumstances, no one should reveal contemptuous or disgraceful comments about women.” Vijay also urged restraint online, stating, “I urge everyone not to post anything on the internet with the instinct that harms women.”

More recently, PTI reported that the Central Bureau of Investigation questioned Vijay on January 12 in connection with the Karur stampede case. Separately, LiveLaw said the producer of Vijay’s upcoming film ‘Jana Nayagan’ moved the Supreme Court over a dispute linked to CBFC certification. The Times of India reported that the film was scheduled for release on January 9, 2026, and that the Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter on January 21, after a Madras High Court division bench stayed an earlier single bench order.