The legal drama of the week: Now waiting for Thalapathy Vijay's last movie outing, Jana Nayagan, has become a high-stakes legal drama. Since the release of its original Pongal (January 9) was missed and now officially missed the Republic Day window (now officially delayed) all eyes and ears were on the Madras High Court.
Jana Nayagan and Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, appearing before a Division Bench, including Justice G. Arul Murugan and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for the opening of Maratham and KVN Productions as the makers of the film gave marathon arguments at a hearing on Tuesday January 20, 2026. Now the court has reserved its orders and a verdict is expected to be made by Jan 27, 2026.
The Core of the Controversy
The delay is caused by a sudden “volte-face” by the CBFC. A preliminary examining committee had recommended a U/A 16+ certificate by December 2025 but later reported complaints (some reports said by another committee member about the military representation) led the CBFC Chairman to delegate the film to a 9-member committee that reviewed it over several days before the movie was released.
These cuts are criticized by the producers as “malafide,” who say they’ve already made all the proposed cuts. The legal fight finally reached the Supreme Court, which instructed the Madras High Court to speed up the matter and cited the big ₹500 crore investment in question.
Release Strategy: February is of Great Importance
With the final legal obstacle looming over us, people insiders say company officials see movies coming due on February 6 or February 13 for worldwide play. There are three main reasons why a February slot is essential for Early Release: Clear Box Office Run: February now has neither substantial Tamil nor Telugu releases scheduled, and thus Vijay's swan song will not have a break from theaters worldwide or at home.
The OTT Pressure
The streaming giant Amazon Prime Video has apparently sent the producers a notice. The film’s original contract to stream after its January 9 release was about 29 days. The delay is now throwing digital release windows for a loop. The Election Factor: This is Vijay’s final film before participating in full-time politics with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) could be announced in late February before Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections on April/May 2026. If the film lands shortly after the MCC is in place, there could be a growing controversy over the political themes and "influence to the voters."
What to Expect Next?
If the High Court finds in favor of the producers next Tuesday, the censor certificate will be issued and published without delay. Fans want to see an “anticipated” update on the trailer or the release poster confirmed (or not) by the end of January. It stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and Priyamani. H. Vinoth directed the film.
The “Thalapathy” fans will be on edge as the wait until the start of verdict is underway, hoping that the "People's Leader" (Jana Nayagan) at long last on film, finally enjoys his welcome time of peace, and on the silver screen, for it is his last glimpse at a grand farewell before he goes to the political stage.
