Jana Nayagan vs. the CBFC: What goes behind censoring 720 hours of film?

The release of Jana Nayagan, the high-budget farewell film of actor-politician Vijay, has reached a legal and bureaucratic impasse that threatens a ₹500 crore investment. The film was diverted to a Revising Committee just days before its planned January 2026 debut. This last-minute intervention fuelled allegations of a "political conspiracy" intended to stifle Vijay’s entry into politics. This was not an isolated event but part of a massive trend in Indian cinema. Data show that between 2017 and 2025, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has altered more than 720 hours of film content. Data shows that 76% of these modifications were outright deletions, totaling nearly 550 hours of footage removed from public view. Tune in to know the mechanics behind these "silent scissors" in this episode of In Focus. Guest: Aroon Deep, a journalist and tech correspondent at The Hindu Host: Nitika Francis Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices