CM Vijay’s ‘Jaan Nayagan’ finally gets an ‘A’ certificate from CBFC after months of legal battles and delays, release date announced.

After months of legal battles, certification delays, piracy leaks and endless speculation, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has finally received clearance from Vijay’s ‘Jan Nayagan’. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film was given an A certificate, ending one of the longest and most controversial censor processes in recent Tamil cinema. Its certified runtime is 3 hours 3 minutes.Although the CBFC certificate has now been uploaded on the board’s official website, the detailed list of cut-offs is yet to be released. According to industry reports, Vijay’s much-awaited farewell film may hit the theaters on July 23 or July 24. The makers have not yet officially announced the release date.Originally, ‘John Naigaan’ was slated for release on January 9, ahead of the Pongal festival and months before Vijay’s first election contest. The film was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025, but instead of receiving certification within the usual timeframe, it fell into an unusually protracted approval process.The test committee initially asked the manufacturers to implement some changes. After making the requested changes and resubmitting the film, the producer said they have been informed that the film has been deemed fit for a U/A certificate.However, the certification process faced another hurdle when a member of the examination committee filed an internal objection, claiming that parts of the film could hurt public sentiments. Following the complaint, the process stalled and the makers were advised to submit the film to the rectification committee. At the same time, unconfirmed reports suggested that the film’s release could affect Vijay’s political prospects ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, which were then scheduled for April 23.On January 6, production banner KVN Productions approached the Madras High Court seeking directions to expedite the certification process.As the delay stretched from weeks to months, the producers argued before the court that the prolonged wait jeopardized the planned release. Legal intervention, however, did not immediately break the deadlock. After nearly a month of reaching the Supreme Court and proceedings, KVN Productions finally withdrew its plea and instead decided to refer the film to the revision committee.

‘John Noygan’ leak fuels controversy

The controversy escalated in April when a high-definition version of ‘John Noygan’ surfaced online, even before the film received CBFC certification.The Tamil Nadu police later arrested several people for the leak, including a freelance film editor. During subsequent proceedings before the Madras High Court, prosecutors revealed that the pirated copy had been viewed by about 1.2 crore people before the authorities succeeded in blocking access to it.Investigators alleged that the leaked version was put together using footage copied from an editing facility before being circulated on piracy websites. Meanwhile, speculations surrounding the film have intensified on social media.Just a few days ago, a fake CBFC certificate claiming that ‘John Noigan’ had already been issued a certificate went viral online. The X account that shared the document later admitted it was fake. Later it was discovered that the censor certificate of Vijay’s ‘Leo’ had been changed to a fake certificate, creating more confusion among fans.Rumors regarding the release date also gained momentum after foreign distributors hinted at a July 24 premiere. Other reports suggest that the makers are considering a July 23 release depending on their final strategy. Canadian exhibitor York Cinemas announced a July 24 overseas release before even KVN Productions made an official announcement.Now that the certification process is finally over, attention has shifted to KVN Productions, which is expected to announce the official theatrical release date soon.Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamita Baiju, along with Vijay in ‘Jana Nayagan’ directed by H Vinoth. Gautam Vasudev MenonPrakash Raj and Narain. Widely regarded as Vijay’s final film before his full-time political career, the project has generated tremendous anticipation, with its seven-month certification saga becoming one of the most talked about episodes in recent Tamil cinema.