After a Pongal postponement, a piracy leak, and months in censor limbo, Vijay’s last film as an actor has finally cleared every hurdle. ‘Jana Nayagan’ now carries an ‘A’ certificate and a target date of July 24.
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Thalapathy Vijay’s last film as an actor has finally cleared a major hurdle. The Central Board of Film Certification has approved ‘Jana Nayagan’ with an ‘A’ certificate, ending months of uncertainty around its release date.
The CBFC cleared director H. Vinoth’s action entertainer for release with an ‘A’ certificate. The film had been stuck in the certification process for months. It was submitted to the board for clearance in December last year.
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Film producer and distributor Dhananjheyan shared a copy of the censor certificate on social media. He wrote that the film had finally gotten the certificate and would release soon, calling it a relief for the production house and Tamil cinema.
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#JanaNayagan finally got the censor certificate and will be releasing soon . What a relief to @KvnProductions & Tamil Cinema to bring out the most expected film of our #ThalaivarVijay sir, one last time on big screen 💐👍💪 pic.twitter.com/pEdrTBjtYZ
— G Dhananjheyan (@Dhananjayang) July 9, 2026
According to the official Wikipedia page of ‘Jana Nayagan’, the film will release on July 24. In addition to Tamil, the film will be out in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi.
This film has faced one delay after another. It was originally set for release during Pongal in January this year. The certification process derailed that plan. The release was postponed after the CBFC referred the film to a Revising Committee under Rule 24 of the Cinematograph Certification Rules.
When the delay was announced, the production house addressed fans directly. KVN Productions said the postponement came from circumstances outside their control and asked audiences for patience while a new date was worked out.
There was more trouble beyond the censor board. The film was delayed by seven months overall, caught up in certification disputes, court proceedings, and a major piracy leak. That leak happened in April. A five-minute clip believed to be from the film, showing Vijay’s introduction scene and part of a song, spread online and drew criticism from industry figures. Filmmakers publicly condemned the leak as a breach of trust in the production process.
‘Jana Nayagan’ carries weight beyond a typical release. It is expected to be Vijay’s final film, and it will be the first film released after he became chief minister of Tamil Nadu. The film was originally announced under a different name. It was first revealed in September 2024 under the tentative title ‘Thalapathy 69’, a reference to it being Vijay’s 69th film as a lead actor. The official title came in January 2025.
Vijay’s deal for the film reportedly set new benchmarks in Indian cinema. He accepted a deal worth between 250 and 275 crore rupees, making him the highest-paid Indian actor at the time, surpassing Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth.
The film brings together a large ensemble. Directed by H. Vinoth, the film stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Narain, and Nassar alongside Vijay. Music for the film comes from a familiar name in Tamil cinema. The soundtrack is composed by Anirudh Ravichander.
The story itself draws from another regional hit. “Jana Nayagan” is a partial remake of the 2023 Telugu film “Bhagavanth Kesari.” That connection was confirmed publicly earlier this year. The original film’s producer confirmed the remake and said writer-director Anil Ravipudi would receive credit for the story.
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