Blocked, censored, and pressured: The long history of Vijay films being stopped before they could reach his fans VijayActor-politician Vijay is still awaiting the release of his final film Jana Nayagan. The film has been stuck in certification limbo for nearly three months, with no official release date announced. This situation, while unprecedented, is not entirely new for Vijay, whose career has repeatedly faced political pressure, legal challenges, and last-minute certification hurdles before his films could reach audiences. In 2013, his film Thalaivaa was set for a global release on August 9. However, theatres in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry remained dark. The controversy stemmed from the film’s tagline, “Time to Lead,” which the AIADMK government, led by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, reportedly viewed as a direct challenge to her leadership. Despite the backlash, the film eventually premiered internationally, though its domestic release was delayed. Four years later, Mersal faced scrutiny from the BJP in 2017. The party demanded the removal of scenes in which Vijay’s character criticized the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Digital India initiative. The contentious scene depicted the character pointing out that Singapore charges just 7% GST and provides free healthcare, while India’s higher rates could not guarantee similar benefits. The film also encountered certification issues with the Animal Welfare Board of India, which initially refused a no-objection certificate over the use of animals in production. The Telugu dubbed version, Adirindhi, faced further delays at the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), where producers were asked to mute or delete the controversial dialogues. They chose to mute them, sparking outrage among fans who endured long silences in theatres.#kamal_haasan #vijay_actor_politician #aiadmk #j_jayalalithaa #cbfc
