Vijay's father not shocked with Jana Nayagan hurdles: He knew, told producer

Vijay's father, veteran actor and director SA Chandrasekhar, shared his thoughts on the numerous delays that his son's farewell film Jana Nayagan faced since January. In a recent interview, the filmmaker revealed that his son anticipated the obstacles the film would encounter due to the political climate and timing of the release.

Jana Nayagan, which has political undertones and some references related to his political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has faced challenges since the beginning of the year. The film struggled to obtain a censor certificate and became a target of piracy. Its release has been postponed due to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections that is scheduled to take place on April 23.

In an interview with Behindwoods, SA Chandrasekhar said that he wasn't shocked about the challenges the film faced since January. "If the film was released without any hurdles, we would have been surprised," he added.

"Don't say you didn't expect problems. When Vijay signed the film, he told the producer during the audio launch held in Malaysia, 'See, you are making a film when I am heading to politics. I hope you are aware of the hurdles the film would face. Are you okay with that?' He knew it would face hurdles. That is why he said the same. It was well expected. We are not shocked," he said.

When asked about the film being leaked online, he commented, "Criminal minds first attack the heart and then go break the financial route." Regarding any involvement from opposition parties, he mentioned that such thoughts are merely speculative and natural.

Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan features Vijay, Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain, and Priyamani in pivotal roles. The film was initially slated for a January release during the Pongal festival, but it encountered significant delays and legal issues related to its censor certificate. Recently, the film was leaked on various pirated sites, adding to the filmmakers' distress.

Following a complaint filed with the Chennai Cyber Crime police, nine individuals were arrested in connection with the leak. According to a press release from the Cyber Crime wing, the main accused is a freelance editor who accessed and stole the film's footage, which was then shared with co-accused, resulting in its widespread distribution.