The buzz surrounding Thalapathy Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, is refusing to die down. The movie, directed by H Vinoth and earlier scheduled to premiere on Friday, January 9, has been postponed indefinitely. The delay comes amid an ongoing certification dispute that intensified on January 7, when the Madras High Court reserved its order and instructed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to form a fresh committee to review the film. This followed the producers' approach to the court over the prolonged delay in obtaining a censor certificate.
With Jana Nayagan's premiere stalled, here are 10 Indian films that found themselves at the eye of a political storm – perfect for a weekend binge.
The Bengal Files (2025) – Zee5
This hard-hitting political drama, helmed by Vivek Agnihotri, revolves around socio-political issues surrounding violence and unrest in West Bengal. An FIR was lodged against the director for an alleged “wrongful” portrayal of freedom fighter Gopal Mukherjee aka Gopal Patha "as a butcher". Additionally, Vivek Agnihotri slammed the West Bengal government for deliberately preventing the film's release in the state.
Article 370 (2024) – Zee5
Headlined by Yami Gautam, this Aditya Suhas Jambhale directorial is set against the backdrop of the abrogation of Article 370. From covert operations to government strategy and national security, the film touches upon several key political moments. The movie sparked controversy over the alleged glorification of the government's stance.
The Sabarmati Report (2024)
Led by Vikrant Massey and Raashii Khanna, the film recounts the controversial Sabarmati Express incident, centring on the investigation into the 2002 Godhra train burning in Gujarat. A section of viewers labelled the film as “propaganda”, particularly in relation to the subsequent Gujarat riots. However, the actor denied the allegations.
The Kerala Story (2023)
Adah Sharma's The Kerala Story triggered nationwide protests and legal scrutiny over its plot, particularly its depiction of the forced Islamic conversion of Kerala women, many of whom were shown being transported to ISIS-ruled Syria. The Supreme Court described the movie as the "worst kind of hate speech" and "audio-visual propaganda."
The Kashmir Files (2022)
Another Vivek Agnihotri directorial, The Kashmir Files, starred Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar and Mithun Chakraborty. The project was inspired by the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, a jury member at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), labelled the film as a "vulgar and propagandistic” work.
The Accidental Prime Minister (2019)
The film featured Anupam Kher as former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Akshaye Khanna as his media adviser, Sanjaya Baru. Released months ahead of the 2019 General Elections, the movie was accused by the Indian National Congress of being "political propaganda" aimed at maligning the party and damaging the image of several senior leaders.
Kaala (2018)
Kaala, starring Rajinikanth, faced backlash for its focus on regional water politics and the actor's public remarks. The film was banned in Karnataka after Rajinikanth urged then Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to follow Supreme Court orders and release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu. Pro-Kannada groups perceived his stance as "anti-Kannada."
Sarkar (2018)
Vijay's Sarkar courted controversy for its negative portrayal of the then-ruling AIADMK government, its welfare schemes, and late leader J. Jayalalithaa. A prominent scene showed characters burning government-distributed freebies, which the party viewed as an insult. The antagonist's name, Komalavalli, was also believed to reference Jayalalithaa's birth name.
Haider (2014)
Haider is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, set against the backdrop of the 1990s Kashmir insurgency. The film drew heavy criticism for its portrayal of the conflict and the Indian state's role, particularly scenes depicting torture in detention camps and alleged human rights violations, which many viewers strongly disagreed with.
Madras Cafe (2013)
The film stirred significant controversy for its depiction of the Sri Lankan Civil War and events leading up to the assassination of a character resembling former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Pro-Tamil groups accused the movie of portraying the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in a negative light.
