India, Jan. 14 -- Politics and cinema go hand in hand in Tamil Nadu. So, it is no surprise that the reluctance of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to clear Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan (People's Leader) has turned into a controversy with Tamil Nadu chief minister (CM) and DMK leader MK Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the BJP of weaponising CBFC to achieve political aims.

Vijay has announced that his political start-up, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), will contest the assembly polls due in April; Jana Nayagan is to be his screen swansong and, as the title suggests, is meant to carry his political message and launch him as a people's politician. Though untested in electoral politics, Vijay's screen popularity h...