One Political Misstep Puts South Superstar Vijay’s Film Career on the Line

By Sharad Rai

In the film corridors of South India, there is currently more concern than celebration surrounding superstar Vijay. There was widespread buzz about the release of his new film “Jana Nayagan” on 9 January 2026, but at the last moment, the Censor Board refused to grant certification. As a result, the future of Jana Nayagan—being promoted as Vijay’s final film—now hangs in uncertainty.

Vijay film censor delay reaches Madras High Court

Instead of revisiting the entire Vijay–Censor Board controversy, let us focus on the present situation. Due to the delay in receiving the censor certificate, the film’s producers, KVN Productions LLP, approached the Madras High Court, requesting that, since the release date had already been finalized, the board should be directed to issue the certificate. The High Court, however, stated that merely having a fixed release date cannot be grounds for granting certification.

The producers had applied for certification on 18 December 2025, after which the board suggested certain corrections. Upon resubmission, the film was reportedly cleared with a UA 16+ certificate, but with instructions to remove some religious scenes and fight sequences. When the revised version was submitted again, the makers were informed on 5 January 2026 that a complaint had been received against the film, and therefore, it would be sent to a Review Committee before any clearance.

It is important to note that Jana Nayagan is being referred to as Vijay’s last film, as the actor has officially stepped into politics and announced that he will no longer work in films.

Vijay’s political move draws scrutiny after an early mistake

In South India, it is not uncommon for film stars to leave successful cinematic careers and enter politics—and even achieve great success. Leaders like Anna Durai, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), N.T. Rama Rao (NTR), Karunanidhi, and Jayalalithaa all transitioned from cinema to politics. Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have also formed their own political parties, with Kamal Haasan currently serving as a Rajya Sabha Member. Following in the footsteps of these predecessors, Vijay too formed his own political party last year—TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam). However, even before fully entering politics, Vijay made a serious political mistake.

Vijay announced that he would not align with or form alliances with any political party. He made it clear that he would not join the ruling DMK government under Stalin, nor ally with the Congress or the BJP. Instead, his party TVK, would contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections independently and aim to form the government on its own. Initially, this announcement received a strong public response. Vijay became the center of political discussions, and other parties reportedly began to view him as a potential threat.

And this is where things went wrong.
The first public rally of Vijay’s party TVK was scheduled for 27 September 2025 in Karur. A massive crowd gathered at the venue—far beyond expectations. While the venue had a capacity of 10,000, nearly 30,000 people showed up, leaving no space to even stand. People had arrived, seeing Vijay as a future Chief Minister. However, behaving like a film star, Vijay arrived at the venue five hours late—a decision that proved disastrous.

Even before he could reach the stage, chaos broke out. Supporters surged toward him, leading to a deadly stampede. Reports claimed that around 41 people lost their lives, and hundreds were injured. News spread that Vijay had fled the venue, further worsening the situation.

As the chief of TVK, cases were registered against Vijay, and investigations are currently underway. All his close associates have already been questioned. The CBI has summoned Vijay to its Delhi headquarters on 12 January for interrogation.

The situation is grim: on one side, Vijay’s officially declared final (69th) film, Jana Nayagan, is stuck just short of theatrical release, while on the other, his political career appears to be unraveling even before it has properly begun.

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