The Tamil film industry, popularly referred to as Kollywood, has been thrown into a state of unprecedented upheaval this week. Both of the most anticipated films of 2026—Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan and Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi—have been hit by a serious obstacle that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) now threatens to block. Fans who waited on the biggest box-office showdown in months on January 9 and 10 have been disappointed watching both films await indefinite dates.
Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’ Gets hit with CBFC Wrath
Sivakarthikeyan’s 25th film, Parasakthi, is also currently in deep water, after it was previously announced that Jana Nayagan would be held up by delay news. Directed by the National Award-winner Sudha Kongara, with Sreeleela (on her Tamil debut) starring in turn, the film was slated for a Jan.10 release date. According to this coverage, the CBFC has demanded an astonishing 23 cuts from the film. The main bone of contention hinges on the movie’s context: the anti-Hindi protests of the 1960s in Tamil Nadu. The board has also flagged a number of scenes and dialogues about the protest, saying they are too sensitive for public consumption. Sudha Kongara, known for her dogged storytelling approach in Soorarai Pottru, supposedly is heartbroken at the proposed changes, believing them to shake the historical integrity of the film. “The proposed cuts would shake up the plot line of the film and its context altogether,” said one of the director’s intimated friends.
The first steps the Parasakthi team has taken this week are to discuss whether they should move to the Revising Committee in Mumbai or to follow in Jana Nayagan’s footsteps and seek legal representation in court.
A Political Tussle?
Industry insiders are buzzing with rumors that the censorship obstacles are more than simply “technical.” Parasakthi is made by members close to the ruling DMK party, while Jana Nayagan stands for Vijay, an emerging new rival in town. While some have blamed the DMK for slowing down Vijay’s film, as we currently know that Parasakthi is under all the more severe censorship from the central board, it represents a larger battle between creative liberty and institutional control.
At a total budget of more than ₹275 crore, with thousands of tickets already sold, the Tamil film industry is watching closely. For now, the “dullest Pongal in years” seems to have arrived as the action shifts from the theater to the courtroom.
