Vijay Thalapathy’s much-looked-for Jana Nayagan will not be in cinemas before April 30th – officials have said, so the wait for people who want to see it is now even longer than it already was. This is because the film has been stuck in a complicated process of getting it approved and dealing with legal issues, and is still not approved, with the pre-sales of tickets being uncertain. People who bought tickets already are getting their money back, as the audience waits for a new date to be set.
The Delay is Confirmed, and What to Do About a Refund
A distributor in Canada said on social media that Jana Nayagan will not be out before April 30th, and told those who have tickets that are still to be used to ask for money back at the cinemas where they bought them. They also said that people who are loyal customers would get first chance to buy tickets when a new date is set – to keep people who like the film on side. Local distributors said the same thing, reminding those who have tickets to ask for refunds from where they got them. Cinemas and companies overseas are changing their plans, and the delay has meant a lot of messages about refunds, new first showings, and tickets being held until the film is approved.
Problems Getting Approval from the CBFC
The film went to the Central Board of Film Certification for review on December 18th, after it had been finished. A group looking at it said there should be a few small cuts, which the filmmakers did, and at first said it should get a UA certificate – because of fighting, some blood, and a few things about religion. Even though the filmmakers did what the group suggested, the film was sent to another group – a Revising Committee – on January 5th, after someone complained about how some people in the film were shown. This Committee is now the main problem, and the film can’t get final approval until they have finished looking at it.
Legal Issues About the Approval
The people making the film asked the Madras High Court to do something quickly, after the film was sent to the Revising Committee, and asked for an order to get a censor certificate in early January. A single judge at first said the certificate should be given, but a group of two judges later cancelled that order, which made things more difficult. In February, the filmmakers were allowed to take back their request, which meant the Revising Committee could look at the film without the court getting in the way. Both the body giving approval, and the filmmakers, have decided not to say much in public about how things are at the moment.
The Timing of the Election, and the Political Situation, Affecting When it is Released
Another practical reason for the delay is the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections coming up, which are expected to be in April and May. People who know about these things have said that releasing a film which is about politics near an election can mean it is looked at more closely, and could have extra legal problems, and possible problems which the filmmakers want to avoid. The film has been talked about a lot as a very important release, because the main actor is becoming more important in politics. This means that those involved are likely to be careful about when it comes out, and many in the industry think the end of April is the earliest time which would be safe – to avoid problems with the election.
How the Delay Affects Distribution, and the Film Industry
The delay affects the release all over the world, because markets overseas often build their campaigns around first showings at the same time. Distributors and cinemas which had planned for a release in January or February now have problems with their income, and gaps in their plans, which could affect when other films are shown. For people who want to see it, the first thing to do is to ask for refunds, or keep their tickets, as the cinemas or distributors say. Because there is no new date yet, plans for marketing are on hold, and those who watch the industry expect a proper announcement only after the Revising Committee has finished its review. Jana Nayagan has not yet been approved, and what happens next will depend on what the Revising Committee says, and any changes to the film – whether in how it is made, or what is in it – which are asked for. Until then, April 30th is the earliest possible date for it to be in cinemas, and the filmmakers, cinemas, and audience are all keeping a close eye on the process of getting it approved.
