Fans of Tamil movie star Vijay gutted after Jan 9 opening of latest flick Jana Nayagan cancelled
Vihanya Rakshika
The Straits Times
Jan 8, 2026
Fans of Indian movie star Vijay queued for hours to buy advance tickets to his latest flick but were left disappointed after it emerged that the film will not open on Jan 9 as planned.
The movie, titled Jana Nayagan, could be the Tamil actor's final film outing, ahead of Vijay, 51, standing in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, which are expected to be called in the next few months.
Undergraduate Mohamad Jafar, 23, who has been a Vijay fan since he was a child, said he queued up for nearly two hours at the SAS Cineplex in Causeway Point on Jan 7.
He said: "I cannot believe this has happened. Everyone in my family is upset about it."
He added that he was waiting for weeks to watch the movie with his family.
Film distributor KVN Productions, in an Instagram post on Jan 7, said the movie's worldwide opening will be pushed back "due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control". It added that a new release date will be made public soon.
The postponement came hours after a Madras High Court hearing that is linked to delays in the film's censor certification in India.
The court is likely to issue a ruling on Jan 9, which means the film is not expected to open until a later date, Indian daily The Hindu reported.
In Singapore, fans thronged the Shaw and Golden Village (GV) cinemas when ticket sales opened on Jan 7 and queued for hours. Others tried their luck with online ticketing platforms. The most coveted tickets were for the first screening on opening day – which many die-hard Vijay fans want to go for.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a GV spokeswoman said patrons who bought tickets can get refunds.
She said: "We have contacted affected patrons who made their purchase online. For tickets bought online, refunds will be processed by GV in seven to 14 working days, directly back to the method of payment."
For tickets purchased at the box office, customers can proceed to any GV cinema for a refund, she added.
Engineer A. Rishikumar, 43, who booked tickets online, was crestfallen. He said: "I am very disappointed. I have been waiting for almost a year to watch this movie."
Vijay, whose full name is Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, is among the most successful actors in Tamil cinema.
To his fans in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other parts of the world, he is known as Thalapathy, which means commander in Tamil.
In a career spanning more than 65 films across three decades, he became known for roles that combine action, dance and social themes.
His latest movie, Jana Nayagan, which means "hero of the people", is expected to be his swan song before he shifts his focus to politics.
Vijay launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party in early 2024, treading a well-worn path of Indian actors entering politics. He has not quit films officially but has hinted at the possibility, saying politics would require his full-time commitment.
Dispute over censorship certification
According to The Hindu's Jan 8 report, the release delay of Jana Nayagan stems from a dispute involving India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which refused to issue censor certification to it. This is despite the filmmakers agreeing to make 27 cuts in the film.
The film has not been referred to a larger review committee, and a High Court judge has reserved judgment after hearing arguments for the CBFC and production house, The Hindu reported on Jan 8.
ST has contacted Shaw Theatres and KVN Productions for comment.
