Actor-turned-Chief Minister Vijay has rarely had a film release without creating a flurry among audiences and ruffling political feathers. While his filmography spans over three decades, it is the last decade in particular that has seen his films repeatedly find themselves at the centre of political skirmishes, community protests, legal battles and last-minute censorship standoffs. From taglines interpreted as political messaging to dialogues that drew the ire of ruling parties, these controversies often outlived the films themselves, becoming inseparable from Vijay's superstardom and, eventually, his political identity.
As his swansong Jana Nayagan gears up for release in theatres on Thursday, CE takes a trip down the memory lane, revisiting his popular films since the 2010s that made headlines for reasons beyond the box office:
Vijay and Asin's Kaavalan faced issues with its release due to financial troubles following losses from Sura, with the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association refusing to aid the film's smooth release and Vijay's future projects. With the DMK in power at the time, reports suggested Vijay sought help from J. Jayalalithaa, whose AIADMK was then in opposition, to get the film into theatres. Early shows were cancelled, but the film eventually released later that evening once the dispute was resolved.
AR Murugadoss's action thriller Thuppakki — centered on a sleeper-cell terror plot with echoes of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks — drew sustained backlash from Islamic organisations post its release, who alleged the film hurt religious sentiments and portrayed the Muslim community in a bad light. An Islamic organisation protested near Vijay's residence and demanded the makers apologise and remove the offending scenes. The Indian National League submitted a memorandum to the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary demanding an outright ban, and a number of Vijay's Muslim fans reportedly dissolved their fan clubs in protest.
The situation grew serious enough that the then CM J Jayalalithaa personally intervened, directing the state home secretary to broker talks between the Muslim organisations and the film's team, including Vijay, Murugadoss, and producer Kalaipuli Thanu. Producer Thanu and Vijay's father, SA Chandrasekhar, issued an apology to the Muslim groups and agreed to remove certain scenes, and the row was declared settled.
Director Vijay's Thalaivaa was arguably the 'master' of all controversies. The film was the first to spark widespread speculation about Vijay's political ambitions, thanks to its tagline, 'Time to Lead'. Its release was marred by bomb threats to theatres, following which then CM J Jayalalithaa's government denied police protection, citing law and order concerns. Reports suggested that Vijay and director AL Vijay travelled to Kodanadu to seek the CM's intervention, but the meeting proved unsuccessful. Vijay later released a public video appealing to the CM and the state police to ensure the film's smooth release.
While Thalaivaa released across India on August 9, 2013, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry remained out of bounds, forcing fans to travel to neighbouring states to watch the film. Amid the delay, the film was hit by piracy, with illegal CDs flooding the market, and a fan died by suicide protesting the ban. After an 11-day delay, Thalaivaa finally released in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on August 20, with the tagline removed from its publicity material.
AR Murugadoss' Kaththi courted multiple controversies even before its Diwali release. The film's themes of farmer suicides, water scarcity and corporate land grabs resonated with audiences, but also invited legal scrutiny. A petition was filed objecting to a dialogue referencing the 2G spectrum scam, arguing it prejudiced an ongoing case before a Delhi court. The issue was reportedly resolved before the film's release. Murugadoss was also accused of plagiarism by director Gopi Nainar, who alleged that Kaththi was based on his unproduced script. Similar accusations later surfaced from short filmmaker Anbu Rajasekhar, while others drew comparisons with a Turkish newspaper's advertisement campaign.
The film's biggest hurdle, however, came from its association with Lyca Productions. The production house faced protests from over 60 pro-Tamil organisations over allegations linking Lyca chairman Subaskaran Allirajah to the Mahinda Rajapaksa government in Sri Lanka. Demonstrations escalated into vandalism at theatres, prompting the makers to temporarily remove Lyca's name from the film's promotional material in an attempt to pacify protesters. The Madras HC later permitted the producers' name and logo to appear in theatres and on prints, paving the way for Kaththi's release.
For a film set in a fantasy world, Puli endured a very real string of troubles before and after its release. The film first ran into legal trouble when veteran actor Sridevi, who played the antagonist in the film, reportedly moved court seeking unpaid dues from the producers. Even before its theatrical release, the film was plagued by leaks, with its teaser and several production stills surfacing online illegally, prompting the makers to file police complaints.
The biggest controversy, however, erupted on the eve of its release when Income Tax officials raided Vijay's residence and the offices of the film's producers and financiers. The searches reportedly delayed screenings across several centres and dominated headlines more than the film itself. The actor was later accused of having received a portion of his remuneration in cash for Puli, allegedly involving Rs 16 crore through cheque transfers and an additional Rs 4.93 crore in cash without TDS deductions. While Vijay has denied wrongdoing, the matter remains under judicial consideration. Overshadowed by leaks, legal disputes and tax scrutiny, Puli remains one of the most turbulent releases of Vijay's career and was a box office failure.
Director Atlee's Diwali release Mersal became a lightning rod almost overnight. Firstly, there was an interim ban against use of the title following a lawsuit filed by Rajendran of AR Film Factory which was later dismissed. Upon release, the film was criticised by several organisations including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-ruling AIADMK government, which objected to scenes featuring Vijay criticising the recently introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST), along with another scene mocking the Digital India initiative. The party demanded those scenes be removed from future viewership. The Indian Medical Association and several other medical bodies also called for a boycott, objecting to what they saw as an unflattering portrayal of doctors in government hospitals.
The row took an ugly turn when BJP national secretary H Raja referred to Vijay by his full birth name, C Joseph Vijay, while criticising the GST references, a move widely read as a communal dig at the actor's Christian faith. Vijay hit back by issuing his response on a letterhead that itself carried his full name, and thanked supporters including Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram, MK Stalin, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, all of whom publicly backed the film. Long after Mersal completed its successful theatrical run, the film remained embroiled in financial controversy. While distributors reportedly made profits, producer Thenandal Studios was said to have incurred heavy losses due to its soaring production costs, with the studio eventually facing insolvency proceedings.
Director AR Murugadoss's political drama Sarkar faced a backlash from the ruling AIADMK over what the party called "objectionable" scenes, including an apparent reference to late CM J Jayalalithaa and criticism of welfare schemes she had introduced.
The dispute was resolved fast: producers voluntarily agreed to cut the scenes, after which the state's Information and Publicity Minister declared the "issue has come to an end" and the AIADMK called off further protests. A cabinet colleague thanked the producers for "respecting the sentiments of Tamil people" and urged filmmakers to exercise restraint going forward.
Atlee's Bigil found itself in legal trouble well before its release, with assistant director KP Selvaa accusing the filmmaker of plagiarising his registered script Thaamizh Arasan. The case reached the Madras High Court, though the film eventually hit screens as scheduled while the matter remained unresolved.
The controversies did not end there. Ahead of the film's release, Income Tax officials conducted searches at financier Anbuchezhian's premises, AGS Entertainment, while Vijay's residence was also raided in connection with alleged financial transactions linked to the film. Although the actor was questioned, no disruptions were reported to Bigil's theatrical release.
While Lokesh Kanagaraj's Master itself largely steered clear of political controversies, its production was overshadowed by Income Tax raids on Vijay's residence and the offices of financier Anbuchezhian in February 2020.
The raids investigated alleged tax evasion tied to his investment in property inherited from AGS Entertainment, the studio that bankrolled Bigil, disrupting Master shoot. Nearly Rs 77 crore was seized from properties linked to AGS Entertainment, its creative producer, and Anbuchezian, and a follow-up raid in March 2020 hit the residence of Master's co-producer-distributor. Tensions spilled onto the set itself: BJP workers staged a protest at the Master shooting location in Neyveli, clashing with security personnel, while Vijay's fans gathered in a show of solidarity.
The film later courted controversy over its theatrical release during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tamil Nadu government granted permission for 100 per cent theatre occupancy ahead of the release, but the Supreme Court stayed the decision following concerns over public health, forcing theatres to revert to 50 per cent capacity before the limit was later revised. Further, a day before Master's theatrical release, some scenes were leaked on social media, prompting reactions from Lokesh Kanagaraj and actor Malavika Mohanan who urged people not to share the scenes.
While Nelson Dilipkumar's Beast did not run into as many issues as Vijay's earlier films, the film did face trouble overseas after it was reportedly banned in Kuwait over its depiction of extremist groups and terrorism. The action thriller, which revolves around a shopping mall hijack, was also reportedly denied release in Qatar for similar reasons, becoming one of Vijay's few films to face international censorship.
Despite the overseas setback, Beast released as scheduled in India and emerged as a commercial success.
Lokesh Kanagaraj's LCU film Leo (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) ran into trouble on almost every front in the run-up to release. A social activist filed a police complaint under narcotics law over the song 'Naa Ready', alleging it showed Vijay smoking on screen and would provoke youngsters into drug use; the makers muted the offending audio in the trailer after a separate expletive drew public criticism. A producer separately moved court claiming rights to the title Leo itself, temporarily stalling the film's release in some circuits, and Leo also had to postpone its Telugu-speaking-state rollout after a Hyderabad civil court froze regional distribution rights. Ahead of the release, several freelance dancers on 'Naa Ready' song publicly alleged they'd only been paid part of their fee and demanded that they be paid their promised remuneration, a claim the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) later said had been resolved in full.
The film's Tamil Nadu release was also caught in limbo as authorities rejected permission for the film's audio launch citing security concerns just days before the event, and the Madras High Court turned down a plea for 4 am release-day screenings. Months after release, a Madurai-based petitioner even asked the High Court to order a psychological evaluation of the director, alleging the film glorified violence, drugs and weapons — a petition that made headlines but went nowhere legally. Despite all this, Leo went on to become Vijay's highest-grossing film.
In 2025, the controversy resurfaced when choreographer Dinesh Master (president of the Choreographers' Union) faced serious accusations of financial misconduct during its filming. Members of the dance union accused him of misusing funds and embezzling amounts reportedly between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 35 lakh meant for the dancers' compensation, an allegation that he strongly refuted.
And finally, after being marred by several controversies and enduring a six-month-long delay, Vijay's final film Jana Nayagan is set to hit theatres on Thursday. If Thalaivaa marked the beginning of Vijay's politically turbulent releases, Jana Nayagan perhaps became the culmination of them. Initially slated for a Pongal release, the actor's swansong was delayed by over six months after a prolonged legal battle with the CBFC over its certification. The postponement drew criticism from fans, members of the film fraternity and politicians, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who voiced support for the film's release.
The troubles didn't end there. In April, first five minutes and later the entire film were leaked online, prompting the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing to register an FIR and arrest several individuals. The action drama also fuelled online debates after teaser and trailer revealed it as a partial remake of Nandamuri Balakrishna's Bhagavanth Kesari. Eventually, Jana Nayagan received an A certificate with over a dozen cuts and modifications from the CBFC, even as it was cleared for an uncut release in the UK.