Jana Nayagan: The highly anticipated Vijay starrer was set for release on January 9, 2026, but it was postponed due to prolonged CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) hurdles and legal battles in the Madras High Court. The matter is still in court and the film’s new release date has not been announced as of now.

Udta Punjab: Starring Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor in the lead, this gritty drama about the drug crisis faced a massive battle with the CBFC, which demanded 89 cuts before granting a go ahead to the movie. The producers challenged this in the Bombay High Court, which allowed the film to release with far fewer cuts. The film’s legal fight had also delayed its release.

Emergency: Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency faced repeated slippages. After an initial 2023 release announcement, it was rescheduled multiple times — including delays due to the Lok Sabha elections and alleged CBFC pressure over its political content. The film was finally released in January 2025.

Padmaavat: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama was caught in violent protests, legal petitions and forced title changes before CBFC clearance. The political and legal pressure pushed its date and release strategy around. The film stars Deepika Padukone with Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the lead.

The Bengal Files: The Bengal Files was called a propaganda movie by many. One of the reasons that the film was making headlines for all the wrong reasons was concerning the portrayal of Gopal Patha (who played a key role in protecting Hindus during the 1946 riots) in it. His grandson had also expressed disappointment and filed a complaint against Agnihotri. The film also faced an unofficial ban in West Bengal.

Black Friday: Based on the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts, this Anurag Kashyap film faced a ban and major legal disputes from the Board and others over its portrayal of real events. Its release was stuck for nearly three years until the Supreme Court cleared it for release.