Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's much-awaited film Jana Nayagan has finally received an 'A' certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), ending a seven-month certification process, industry sources told PTI on Thursday. Directed by H. Vinoth, known for films such as Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru and Nerkonda Paarvai, the film is now set for a theatrical release on July 24. According to a source from the Tamil Nadu Film Distributors' Association, the film is expected to release in around 1,000 theatres across the state. Final film before Vijay's full-time political career Produced by Bengaluru-based KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan is widely regarded as Vijay's final film before he transitions to full-time politics. The film was originally scheduled for a Pongal release on January 9, 2026, and was submitted to the CBFC on December 19, 2025. Certification process hit by objections, court battle After the filmmakers incorporated changes suggested by the examining committee, the film was initially considered eligible for a 'U/A' certificate. However, the certification process stalled after a committee member reportedly objected to certain scenes, arguing they could hurt public sentiments. On January 6, KVN Productions moved the Madras High Court, seeking directions for an expedited certification process. The legal dispute eventually reached the Supreme Court. After nearly a month of proceedings, the producers withdrew their petition and opted to have the film reviewed by the CBFC's revising committee.Pirated copy leaked during certification dispute The controversy intensified in April when a high-definition version of the uncertified film surfaced online. During hearings before the Madras High Court, prosecutors said the pirated copy had been viewed by nearly 1.2 crore people before authorities succeeded in blocking access. Tamil Nadu Police later arrested several individuals in connection with the leak, including a freelance film editor who allegedly obtained the footage from an editing facility.Star-studded cast and crew Jana Nayagan features Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain in key roles. The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan and editing by Pradeep E. Ragav. It is widely believed to be based on Anil Ravipudi's Bhagavanth Kesari, although the makers have neither confirmed nor denied the reports.