Rahul Gandhi calls Jana Nayagan release delay an ‘Attack on Tamil Culture’
Reacting to Jana Nayagan’s stalled release, Rahul Gandhi termed the delay an attack on Tamil culture and criticized the Centre over what he called misuse of film certification authority.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the delay in the release of the highly anticipated Tamil film Jana Nayagan, calling the hold-up an “attack on Tamil culture” and alleging political interference by the central government.
In a social media post, Rahul Gandhi accused the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and affiliated authorities of deliberately blocking the film’s certification process – a move he described as an attempt to suppress regional artistic expression. “Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people,” he wrote, underlining the sentiment that cinema is deeply rooted in the state’s cultural identity.
The controversy erupted when the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) failed to grant Jana Nayagan its U/A certificate in time for its planned Pongal release, despite the board having viewed the film weeks earlier. This delay led the producers to approach the Supreme Court after the Madras High Court stayed a lower court direction ordering the immediate issuance of the certificate. Jana Nayagan, starring Thalapathy Vijay and widely publicized as his final film before fully entering politics with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has thus seen its release postponed, disappointing fans and industry observers alike. Rahul Gandhi’s intervention follows similar stances by other opposition figures who have condemned what they call the “misuse of power” in the certification process. Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu, including AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar, have argued that targeting an artist’s work for political motives is unacceptable and urged the central government to refrain from using art and entertainment as tools in ideological battles.
The issue has reignited broader debates over censorship and creative freedom in Indian cinema, with voices from the industry and civil society calling for greater transparency and reform in film certification procedures to safeguard artistic expression and cultural diversity.
The I&B Ministry’s attempt to block ‘Jana Nayagan’ is an attack on Tamil culture.
Mr Modi, you will never succeed in suppressing the voice of the Tamil people.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 13, 2026
