Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P. Shanmugam on Thursday criticised actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay for his silence on the Jana Nayagan controversy, after the film’s highly anticipated January 9 worldwide release was cancelled due to ongoing certification issues. In a post on social media platform X, Shanmugam alleged that the delay by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in issuing a censor certificate was deliberate and that Vijay had chosen not to publicly comment on the matter. He suggested the actor’s reluctance to speak out may be due to concerns about appearing to criticise the Union government, which oversees the certification process.
Shanmugam also questioned the motivation behind protests from others, saying it was unclear what such demonstrations would ultimately achieve if influential figures like Vijay remained silent. According to him, even if the release was stalled, Vijay seemed content to stay quiet as long as his own interests were not harmed.
The postponement and cancellation of Jana Nayagan’s release — widely attributed to delayed censor certification — has sparked widespread debate involving politicians, fans, and film industry figures, with the Madras High Court and CBFC at the centre of the dispute.