When politics meets cinema: Inside the censor storm around Vijay’s 'Jana Nayagan'

The much-anticipated ‘Jana Nayagan’ movie of Vijay, which is about to make a splash has run into an unbelievable censorship controversy. Though the Tatkal certification was requested by the makers for a speedy clearance, the censors of the movie are getting delayed. Scheduled for release on Pongal on January 9, the movie is still in a dilemma, making the audience and stalwarts wonder about the cause.Jana Nayagan’s producer initially approached the Madras High Court for a problem before the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) delayed granting certification. As per News 18, while Justice Asha was on the side of producers, framing the CBFC needed to issue a U/A certification to the film, some members of the CBFC sounded the controversy about their order, labelled as an ‘improper complaint’ by the majority of people in the industry, and filed for further proceedings.Following the CBFC appeal against the High Court ruling, the Court affirmed the Board; factors of procedure prompted further questioning the suitability of some aspects. In outrage by this, the producers appealed to the Supreme Court to issue a clear ruling. The Supreme Court, however, failed to do so and opted that the case be reviewed at the High Court again. The second-round appeals and counter-appeals have stalled the censoring progress, extending the crowing period and compromising the timeline of the movie’s premier.Salt to the speculation is the alleged political implications behind the film. As Jana Nayagan marks the official political shift for vijay from films to politics, the speculation is the mounting interferences from the authorities. “When you have a star with a political angle, interferences are a class of intensity. No one is making only films anymore,” said the producer, Dhananjayan in his Youtube channel.In a press meet during a public function, director Ameer said, “Cinema is not immune to politics. It reacts differently when it is a mass hero and in politics.” At the press meet of ‘Karuppu Pulsar’, actor Mansoor Ali Khan expressed, “How it is easy for movies like ‘The Kashmir Files’ and ‘The Kerala Story,’ which faced huge protests for portraying a particular religious segment, to be smoothly certified.” The complaint lodged by CBFC, whether right or wrong, is said to have been prompted by the timing of the release coinciding with Vijay entering into politics.After all, the 'Jana Nayagan' censor clash reflects the rising insecurity of films affiliated with politics in India. Courts have often attempted to be the adjudicator in such a dispute; therefore, this process shows that the film certification in India can be delayed, especially by the political issues related to a film's content. In this saga, it unveils the critical story for the industry that is having an on-time and effective film certification process, and beyond the legal and political influence for films to thrive.