'Jana Nayagan' is gearing up for its theatrical release on January 9, 2026. Amid this, the political action thriller is reportedly facing a ban in Saudi Arabia.
Jana Nayagan is the highly anticipated film of 2026, starring Thalapathy Vijay. The political action thriller directed by H. Vinoth is said to be the last film of Vijay. Alongside Vijay, the film also stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, Priyamani and more. For the unversed, Jana Nayagan is scheduled to release on January 9, 2026. The film will star Vijay in the lead role, while Bobby will feature as the antagonist. Amid the rising popularity, the film will reportedly not be released in Saudi Arabia.
According to media reports, Jana Nayagan was made on a budget of Rs. 380 crores. Amid this, as per the latest report, Thalapathy Vijay's last film might face a ban in Saudi Arabia. If the reports are believed to be true, then it will be a huge problem for the makers, as Thalapathy Vijay holds a strong market in Saudi Arabia after the UAE. While the film’s ban in Saudi Arabia is yet to be confirmed, the makers may be required to trim and mute some portions before the re-censorship approval.
As Jana Nayagan is made on a high budget, it will be crucial to see whether the political action thriller is released in Saudi Arabia. For the unversed, Saudi Arabia is considered to be one of the top territories where the Tamil superstar enjoys a strong market within the GCC circuit. While reports of a probable ban are doing the rounds on the internet, the exact reason behind it is still not clear.
While three days are left for Jana Nayagan’s release, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is yet to give clearance to the political action thriller. Amid the crisis, the makers approached the Madras High Court over the delayed censorship certificate from CBFC. According to the makers of Jana Nayagan, the film was submitted for Censor Board formalities on December 18, 2025, but they delayed releasing the censorship certificate.
According to media reports, the Madras High Court heard the plea on January 6, 2026, at 2:15 pm. For the uninitiated, the urgent plea was filed by Venkat K Narayana of KVN Productions. Now, as per a report by Cinema Express, the Madras High Court adjourned the case’s hearing to January 7, 2026. The court also questioned the maker’s urgency regarding the following and said, "Why can’t the film’s release be postponed from the 10th?" The makers also highlighted that initially, the film was recommended a U/A certificate, but the final censor board approval is still pending.
Jana Nayagan marked the end of Thalapathy Vijay’s 33-year acting career. While fans are eagerly waiting for its release, a buzz surrounding the film is doing the rounds on the internet. Jana Nayagan is reportedly the remake of Nandamuri Balakrishna starrer, Bhagavanth Kesari. Speaking about the buzz, director, H. Vinoth said to the media that Jana Nayagan is a film of Thalapathy Vijay. He explained that the people’s perspective will change after they watch one show of the film. He was quoted as saying:
"This is a Thalapathy film. Some people might think this is a remake and wonder why they should come and watch it. A few might even get angry. To them, I’ll say just one thing: Please wait until one show ends. You’ll get your answer. People who are coming to watch the film don’t need to worry about whether it’s a remake, whether a few scenes are inspired, or whether it’s just one scene."
What are your thoughts on the film, Jana Nayagan? Let us know.
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