Amid release row, 'Jana Nayagan' Vijay unlikely to face CBI in Karur stampede probe

Actor-politician Vijay’s fans have been left disheartened. The uncertainty around the release of Jana Nayagan has left his fans and followers in deep distress. Amidst the row, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) sources told THE WEEK that the actor is unlikely to appear before the CBI for the probe over Karur stampede on January 12.

The trouble for the film has come at a time when the actor-politician has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the Karur stampede case, which killed 41 people. However, there is a different story to the whole CBI episode, which will unfold on January 12.

TVK insiders confirmed to THE WEEK that Vijay has consulted his legal team over the summons. “It seems like an onslaught on our leader, only to create a setback in his political career. The CBI summons and the CBFC denying censor for Jana Nayagan are only to make him step back,” a TVK leader told THE WEEK. However, insiders told THE WEEK that Vijay is likely to skip the CBI summons on Monday. In all likelihood, Vijay’s legal team will represent him on Monday in Delhi, at the CBI headquarters, and ask for the questioning place to be shifted to Chennai.

TVK’s three office bearers - Bussy N. Anand, Aadhav Arjuna and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar - appeared before the CBI, which commenced its probe on October 13, after an interim order issued by the Supreme Court. These three leaders, including the Karur West district secretary of TVK, Mathiazhagan, were summoned twice by the CBI - once in Karur, the scene of the crime, and second in Delhi. They were questioned for more than nine hours in Delhi. Apart from the office bearers, Vijay’s campaign bus driver was also summoned and questioned.

The questions to the office bearers were around the security arrangements for the rally, the crowd management, the chain of command for the rally and also the letters sent to the district administration seeking permission.

And now, after the district administration, the TVK office bearers and the campaign bus driver, it is Vijay’s turn, which obviously has to happen as he was the face of the Karur rally on September 27. “We knew he would be questioned. But we thought the case would be dragged beyond the election,” a TVK source said. Sources said that CBI will question him on the material that was gathered from the scene of crime, the evidence it had gathered by questioning his party functionaries, the video footage recovered, the safety protocols that were followed and also based on the confession statements given by his campaign bus driver.

Said to be his last screen appearance before getting into a full-fledged political career, the Central Bureau of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to issue a censor certificate. The Madras High Court adjourned the case to January 9, the earlier date producers had planned for the release of the film. The producers, KVN Productions, have now postponed the release date.

Jana Nayagan trouble is more of an emotional cum political issue to his supporters than a mere censorship issue. According to TVK insiders, the last-minute trouble given by the CBFC to Jana Nayagan was a planned move, as the BJP fears that the film will add strength to Vijay’s popularity in the state ahead of the elections. “Vijay Anna knows how to handle all this. The BJP fears him like the DMK here,” said one of the TVK leaders. 

While the CBFC has made its arguments in the Madras High Court, Vijay’s fans allege a political conspiracy as he is opposing both the ruling BJP in Delhi and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. “The entire country will understand our power if the movie does not release on Friday,” says Ranjith Kumar, a hardcore Vijay fan, who is also part of the TVK.

Ranjith and his friends are awaiting the release. “Whenever it releases, I will watch the first day first show,” he says. But, a few Vijay fans are comparing the delay in CBFC issuing the censor certificate with that of M.G. Ramachandran’s (MGR) Ulagam Sutrum Valiban, which faced trouble in 1973. MGR was apparently expelled from the DMK when Ulagam Sutrum Valiban ran into trouble. Equating this, Vijay’s supporters have been accusing the DMK of conspiring to stop the release of Jana Nayagan.

The trailer of Jana Nayagan is completely laced with political punchlines. Vijay is seen delivering high-pitched dialogues in the trailer released on January 3. Playing as Thalapathy Vetri Kondan (TVK), the same as his party initials, Vijay replies to a child asking him if he is a Superman, “I am just an ordinary man. But I have heard people say that whatever I do is super.” The trailer ends with a single punch, saying, “I am coming.” This refers to Vijay’s active political plunge in the run-up to the election. 

But this is not the first time a Vijay film has faced trouble. When Jayalalithaa was in power, his film Thalaivaa courted trouble as the posters had the tagline, “Its time to lead.” Vijay and his father, S.A. Chandrashekar, called on Jayalalithaa, and then Vijay later appealed in an emotional video to Jayalalithaa to help ensure the film’s release.

In 2012, Thuppakki faced trouble as Muslim groups opposed the film for portraying them as terrorists. Later, director A.R. Murugadoss and producer Kalaipuli S Thanu issued a public apology and agreed to remove the controversial scenes. In 2017, his Mersal was opposed by the BJP as it had a critical take on GST and medical malpractice, and so was his Sarkar in 2018, in which the villain’s name was Komalavalli, thus angering then All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) ministers.

And, be it the CBFC trouble or the CBI enquiry, sources say Vijay will not express his opinion as it might make him ruffle feathers with the ruling BJP in Delhi.