This paper is concerned with the short time strong solutions for Cauchy problem to a simplified Ericksen–Leslie system of compressible nematic liquid crystals in two dimensions with vacuum as far field density. We establish a blow‐up criterion for possible breakdown of such solutions at a finite time, which is analogous to the well‐known Serrin's blow‐up criterion for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.