Vijay's much anticipated 'Jana Nayagan' to hit screens on July 23

Chennai, Jul 15 (PTI) After weathering months of legal battles, online leak, and a highly publicised standoff with the censor board, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's highly anticipated film 'Jana Nayagan' is finally set to hit the silver screen on July 23 with the production company confirming it on Wednesday. KVN Productions, the producer of the film, officially announced the release date on 'X'. "Tested by fire. Forged by time. Built for history. The tougher the battle, The louder the victory. #JanaNayaganFromJuly23, #JanaNayakuduFromJuly23 and #JanNetaFromJuly23", it said. 'Jana Nayagan', produced by Bengaluru-based KVN Productions, was granted an "A" certificate recently. The film is directed by H Vinoth and received its censor certificate last week after a protracted seven-month battle. Sources from the Tamil Nadu Film Distributors' Association claimed that the film will likely be screened in about 1,000 theatres in Tamil Nadu from July 23. The film's journey to certification was marred by significant delays, legal interventions and piracy issues. Originally slated for a January 9, 2026 release ahead of Pongal, the film was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025. According to reports, after the makers implemented modifications suggested by the examining committee, the film was initially considered suitable for a 'U/A' certificate. However, the process stalled when a committee member raised an internal objection, claiming certain portions could hurt public sentiments. On January 6, KVN Productions approached the Madras High Court seeking directions to expedite the certification. After nearly a month of legal proceedings that reached the Supreme Court, the producers withdrew their petition and opted to present the film to the revising committee instead. The controversy deepened in April when a high-definition version of the uncertified film leaked online. During proceedings at the Madras High Court, prosecutors noted that the pirated copy had been viewed by nearly 1.2 crore people before access was successfully blocked. The Tamil Nadu police subsequently arrested multiple individuals in connection with the leak, including a freelance film editor who allegedly sourced the footage from an editing facility. 'Jana Nayagan' features a prominent ensemble cast, including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain. The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan, and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. The movie is touted to be Vijay's swansong film, bringing down the curtains on his three-decade film career, during which he has given blockbuster hits, including 'Ghilli' and 'Leo'. PTI SNR SNR KH