28 April,2026 04:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Thalapathy Vijay (Pic/IMDB)
Vijay's Jana Nayagan, touted as his final film before entering politics, continues to face mounting controversies ahead of release. The film has sparked fresh controversy in Madurai, where villagers have protested against its release, alleging misrepresentation of their locality. This comes amid the film remaining in limbo due to CBFC certification delays and a piracy issue.
According to a report by ETimes, villagers near Usilampatti staged a protest against the film's release, alleging that their village's name had been disrespected. As part of the protest, residents from Papapatti and nearby areas hoisted black flags outside their homes.
A News18 report stated that people from Papapatti, Pagathevanpatti, and Peyampatti villages joined the demonstration. They claimed that certain scenes in Jana Nayagan misrepresented their locality and hurt their sentiments. The villagers also objected to how past events related to their region were portrayed in the film.
The protestors put forward clear demands. They sought a public apology from the director and the lead actor, asked the government to ensure the removal of the objectionable scenes, and raised concerns about the repeated portrayal of their village over time.
A CCTV operator deployed on election duty at Chennai's Anna University on April 23 has been detained for watching leaked clips of Vijay's Jana Nayagan. He had also shared photos of himself viewing the pirated version of the film. He has been detained for indulging in this illegal activity.
On April 9, Vijay's Jana Nayagan was leaked in HD print online, sending shockwaves across the South industry. Bigwigs like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, and Pawan Kalyan called out piracy and urged for stricter rules. After the film leaked, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Police arrested nine members, including three key accused. One of the main accused was a freelance editor who illegally accessed the footage and uploaded it online. Following the leak, Jana Nayagan's editor, Pradeep E Ragav, was suspended from the editors' association.
Before this, the film has been stuck with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) since January over certain scenes that could potentially hurt people's sentiments.
Jana Nayagan is directed by H. Vinoth and produced by Venkat K. Narayana under KVN Productions. The cast includes Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and Mamitha Baiju, with music by Anirudh Ravichander. It is Vijay's 69th film and his last one before he enters politics.
