In an unprecedented show of solidarity with actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay, the Congress has come to his defence by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Censor Board delaying the certification for the film star’s swan song movie Jana Nayagan.
From AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar to Professionals Congress chairman Praveen Chakravarty and Congress Whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore to party MP Jothimani, all have pounced on the Modi government charging it with using the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as a tool of political intimidation. The Kollywood film world too had rallied around Vijay.
“Modi Ji, prove your 56-inch chest by taking on POLITICIAN Vijay not ACTOR Vijay. Remember your politics of intimidation won’t work in Tamil Nadu…The people of Tamil Nadu will not tolerate censorship of cinemas for political gain…Vijay’s film is facing delays due to your pressure on authorities, which is unfair to the producers and fans,” Chodankar wrote in a caustic post on ‘X’.
Producers of the multi-crore movie, KVN Productions, have postponed the release of the film originally slated for Friday (January 9, 2025). Even as Madras High Court is set to pronounce its verdict on that day in the case the producers have filed against the CFBC, the firm had announced the decision to put off the scheduled release.
Urging Modi to keep politics out of art and respect creative freedom, Chodankar said, “The controversy surrounding actor Vijay’s film ‘Jana Nayagan’ has sparked concerns about the misuse of political power. While political disagreements are understandable, targeting an artist’s work is unacceptable.” Further, he urged the prime minister to ensure that art and entertainment are not used as pawns in political battles.
Predictably, the Congress speaking in defence of Vijay has rekindled the speculation on whether the grand old party is keeping its option of teaming up with Vijay for the upcoming assembly election or using the TVK as a bargaining chip with its INDIA Bloc big brother DMK, to secure more seats in the alliance. Another reason, according to analysts, is the Congress engaging Vijay, who has identified the BJP as the TVK’s ideological enemy, to prevent him from falling into the hands of the saffron party.
While Manickam Tagore had reposted Chodankar, party MP Jothimani had condemned the denial of film certification for the movie, describing it as an attack on freedom of expression. “The CBFC had joined the list of institutions becoming political tools of the Modi government like the ED, CBI, IT which can’t be permitted by remaining mute spectators. It is time the CBFC is abolished,” she posted on ‘X’
“When RSS propaganda films get zero traction, zero credibility & public interest, the Modi-Shah regime responds with control, not confidence…Article 19(1) (A) guarantees freedom of speech and expression. But, under I&B Minister @AshwiniVaishnav this right is being systematically weakened through fear, not law…Now even the Censor Board is being weaponised …Cinema doesn’t need political clearance. Democracy cannot survive when art is forced to kneel before power,” Praveen Chakravarty posted on ‘X’, tagging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s post criticising the Modi government when Vijay’s earlier movie ‘Mersal’ faced a similar crisis in 2017.