Jana Nayagan, Panjab 95 To Dhadak 2: Five Indian Films Delayed Due To Censorship

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a strict cinema governing organisation that has worked towards ensuring movies get the right certification and rating. However, in the past couple of years,

filmmakers have been at loggerheads with the organisation over delayed certificates, multiple cuts and long lists of modifications. Due to this, many films were delayed, and some could never see an audience in theatres. Recently, the CBFC has been harsh on South Indian cinema as it monitors content closely. Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is awaiting the court’s clearance and the censor board’s final certification. Before the political drama directed by H Vinoth, many Indian movies faced the CBFC’s scanner. While Kangana Ranaut’s political biopic, Emergency, released almost four months after its scheduled date due to a delayed certificate, Diljit Dosanjh’s Panjab 95 makers were asked to make over 120 cuts, yet no release clearance. Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri’s Dhadak 2 also caught the CBFC’s attention for its bold intercaste love subject. Here are five Indian films that faced censorship brunt and had to move away from the scheduled release dates.

Jana Nayagan

Thalapathy Vijay’s last film, Jana Nayagan, was not cleared by the censor board. A day before its scheduled January 9 release, the makers announced that the film would arrive in theatres at a later date after receiving necessary clearances from the CBFC and Madras High Court. The H Vinoth directorial deals with a political subject and the makers had agreed to make modifications suggested by the board. The next hearing in the case is on January 27.

Emergency

Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency landed in trouble for its political nature. The film, based on India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, faced backlash from various groups, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). In addition, Emergency was delayed due to the CBFC withholding certification. It was finally released in theatres in January 2025.

Panjab 95

Based on the human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, Diljit Dosanjh’s Panjab 95, directed by Honey Trehan, has been banned from releasing in India due to CBFC restrictions. The board instructed over 120 cuts to the makers, along with a title change request. The film was qualified to premiere at international film festivals, but it was withdrawn. Panjab 95 had secured a February 2025 release in countries except India. However, the film is yet to see the daylight.

Dhadak 2

Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri’s Dhadak 2, directed by Shazia Iqbal, was supposed to release on November 2024 but was pushed to March 2025. Eventually, it arrived in theatres on August 1, 2025. The film was delayed due to certification woes. After 16 major changes, Dhadak 2 got a U/A certificate from the CBFC.

Santosh

Shahana Goswami’s critically acclaimed Santosh has locked a January 2025 release in Indian theatres. However, the CBFC blocked it, demanding extensive, "impossible" cuts regarding the depiction of police brutality, casteism, and Islamophobia, despite the script previously being approved for filming. The film was eventually released on Lionsgate Play.

Apart from these five films, the CBFC delayed clearing many Indian titles, including Aamir Khan’s Rang De Basanti (2006) and Padmaavat (2018). Anurag Kashyap’s Paanch was also under the scanner, and it never released. With Jana Nayagan, trade experts and fans are anticipating an order in favour of the Thalapathy Vijay film. Stay tuned for further developments on the movie’s release.