'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' star Pawan Kalyan on Vijay’s ‘Jana Nayagan’ censor row: 'A rule is a rule and cannot be tailor-made'

Pawan Kalyan has weighed in on the ongoing censorship controversy surrounding 'Jana Nayagan'. The actor-politician stated that political parties should not be blamed for certification decisions made by the Central Board of Film Certification. The film, expected to be Vijay's final movie before his full-time political career, is currently awaiting review by the censor board. The project is expected to receive its certification after the review process is completed.Speaking to Thanthi TV, Pawan Kalyan addressed the controversy directly. He argued that the censor board's rules should remain consistent for everyone. Explaining his position, he said, "The Jana Nayagan issue was not handled well at the Censor Board level." They're blaming the political party and that's not right." The actor added that even his own film faced a strict decision from the board: "My film OG was given an 'A' certificate by the CBFC. My producers and my director said, 'You're part of a particular political party, and your film has been censored 'A'.' I asked him how he expected a 'U/A' certificate with all the violence portrayed. I told him a rule is a rule and cannot be tailor-made for those who are part of the ruling government."According to him, the film’s team had initially hoped for a different certification. However, the board maintained its decision after reviewing the content: "They applied for re-censorship, hoping for a 'U/A' certificate. The CBFC still ended up giving an 'A' certificate."The actor also dismissed the idea that political connections could influence the board’s decision. He added, "Even if I used my connections to influence the CBFC, they would clearly tell me that governance and film censorship cannot be linked and that they're separate bodies."The 'OG' actor also suggested that the makers of 'Jana Nayagan' could have handled the issue differently. He shared an example from his own experience with the censor board, "For one of my films, the CBFC asked me to change the lyrics for a song, and I had to do it. This happens to everybody."The actor further commented on the legal route taken in the matter. He explained, "The makers of Jana Nayagan should not have approached the court for a solution. How can they blame the government for this issue? If they had not gone to court, it would have been a completely different story. Once it goes to the court, the outcome is in the hands of the legal system."Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan is preparing for the release of his upcoming film 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' which is said to be a remake of Vijay's 'Theri'. The actor recently spoke about his deep admiration for his elder brother Chiranjeevi during the film’s pre-release event held at the Yusufguda Police Grounds in Hyderabad.During the speech, Pawan Kalyan said, “I love cinema. Cinema fed me and gave me the identity that allowed me to serve the people. That is why I always wish well for directors, writers and producers. I have never cared about film collections. I do not see films as Telugu cinema or Tamil cinema. I only see them as Indian cinema. For me, the real hero is Chiranjeevi. I sincerely thank my elder brother for appreciating this film’s trailer and tweeting about it. I also thank Ram Charan and ‘Peddi’ director Buchi Babu.”'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' is scheduled to hit theatres on March 19.