CM Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ finally locks theatrical release date, new poster out

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor C Joseph Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ has finally locked its theatrical release date, ending a long wait that kept fans on edge.

The announcement comes as a major relief for the actor’s admirers, who have eagerly awaited updates on what is widely expected to be his final film before his full-fledged political journey.

Vijay, in an official Instagram post on Wednesday, announced the film’s new release date and also unveiled a brand new poster of the film, confirming that ‘Jana Nayagan’ will hit theatres on July 23.

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A post shared by Jana Nayagan (Thalapathy 69) (@jana_nayagan_official)

The poster shows Vijay dressed in a police uniform, giving out an authoritative presence. The background features smoke taking form of ’23’ – i.e., the film’s release date. Near the bottom center is the film title, ‘Jana Nayagan’ along with the text “The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu C Joseph Vijay’. Sharing the poster, the actor-politician wrote, “#JanaNayaganFromJuly23.”

With the release date now confirmed, anticipation for ‘Jana Nayagan’ has reached a fever pitch. The announcement arrives on the heels of the film having cleared its long certification battle. The makers recently confirmed that the H. Vinoth directorial has been awarded an ‘A’ certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), following compliance with 12 modifications suggested by the board.

The announcement was made through a new poster shared on social media, with the makers writing, “See you soon in theatres nanba and nanbis. Jana Nayagan censored A”. In a notable first, the production house also referred to Vijay as “The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu… C. Joseph Vijay” in its promotional material.

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A post shared by Jana Nayagan (Thalapathy 69) (@jana_nayagan_official)

The film was originally slated for a Pongal release on January 9 but ran into trouble after the CBFC withheld certification, citing concerns that certain scenes could potentially hurt religious sentiments.

The matter subsequently reached the courts. A single-judge bench had directed the CBFC to issue a U/A 16+ certificate, offering temporary relief to the makers. However, the CBFC challenged the order before a division bench of the High Court, which stayed the earlier ruling on January 9. Following the setback, the producers approached the Supreme Court seeking an urgent stay on the High Court’s order.

Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan stars Vijay alongside Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde, Prakash Raj, Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani and Narain.

The film features music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan, editing by Pradeep E. Ragav and production design by V. Selvakumar. It is the official remake of the National Award-winning Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari (2023), which starred Nandamuri Balakrishna and Sreeleela. (ANI)