‘Jana Nayagan’ set for grand global release amid massive fan frenzy

'Jana Nayagan', Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's final film before entering politics, is set for a worldwide release on July 23 across nearly 8,000 screens. Massive advance bookings, re-edits and fan enthusiasm have fuelled expectations of a record-breaking box office performance

Chennai: The re-edited ‘Jana Nayagan’-the final film of C Joseph Vijay before he took charge as Tamil Nadu chief minister in May-is set for a grand global release on July 23, its production house KVN has said, amid mounting excitement among fans.

The production house announced bookings for the film across nearly 8,000 screens globally, spread across 30 countries and Indian states, and bookings surged at remarkable speed. According to a source, over 3,500 shows are planned in Tamil Nadu for the movie, which has a total runtime of 3 hours and 3 minutes. The number is expected to increase, the source added.

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On the massive anticipation surrounding ‘Jana Nayagan’, a source in the Theatre Owners Association said there was “tremendous pressure” for ticket bookings in the state.

Theatres were struggling to accommodate the high demand, he added. On box office expectations, he said there was a possibility of the film entering the Rs 1,000 crore club.

The film’s journey to certification was marred by significant delays, legal interventions and piracy issues. “Film leak” won’t hurt the industry or producers, he said, adding that such leaks do not reduce theatrical audiences as people would still prefer to watch a film in a theatre.

Booking for the film opened to a massive response, with Rs 10.60 crore in tracked advance ticket sales recorded within hours. Tamil Nadu, where pre-sales began on July 19, reported phenomenal bookings, with single screens and multiplexes together selling over 90,000 tickets within hours of the window opening.

In Chennai, Kamala Cinemas sold over 10,000 tickets within minutes of opening the portal, and Mayajaal Multiplex sold out 48 shows in less than an hour.

The state government has capped ticket prices at Rs 190 in Chennai to regulate the fan frenzy and ensure the safety of the people. ‘Jana Nayagan’ is scheduled to be screened across 900 screens in Tamil Nadu. Despite an earlier leak, the film has continued to draw great interest.

Film producer Venkat K Narayana confirmed the theatrical release on July 23 and said the film underwent modifications, including an update to the title card on posters to reflect Vijay’s position as the CM.

The film has generated huge excitement, being widely seen as Vijay’s farewell to cinema as he now devotes himself full-time to politics. The KVN Productions head, sharing updates with the media, said the version audiences will see in theatres will be drastically different from the cut submitted to the Censor Board last year.

The seven-month delay was used to add fresh footage, new songs and multiple modifications. In the film’s official title card, Vijay is described as “the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu” instead of merely as an actor. Direct references and nods to his political party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, have also been worked into the final cut.

The Central Board of Film Certification had ordered nearly 20 seconds of cuts, 10 seconds of replacement footage, and muted religious references.

Narayana described the CM as “an emotion for people across the globe,” saying Vijay’s journey from film icon to the state’s real-life leader had turned the film’s release from a mere movie launch into a “mammoth cultural and historical milestone.”

The film is being released in multiple languages, with the titles adjusted to account for existing trademark rights-it is ‘Janeta’ in Hindi, ‘Janayaku’ in Telugu and ‘Janayak’ in Kannada. Narayana confirmed that he discussed the release date and promotional plans with Vijay. In Coimbatore, Prohibition Minister K Vignesh, accompanied by his supporters, TVK functionaries and sanitation workers, took part in a clean-up drive in the Kinathukadavu area.

He later told reporters that Vijay’s fans always took part in such activities during the launch of Vijay’s films. “We are continuing the tradition,” he added.

Tamil Nadu Minister and TVK general secretary N Anand appealed to party workers, ministers, MLAs and district secretaries to celebrate the film’s release as a “grand festival.” He issued specific instructions on decorating theatres screening the film, in line with party guidelines, to ensure fans and the public watch it with great enthusiasm, given that ‘Jana Nayagan’ marks Vijay’s final outing.

‘Jana Nayagan’, directed by H Vinoth, features a prominent ensemble cast, such as Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.

The project has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan, and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. Ahead of the release, KVN Productions said on X: “Tested by fire. Forged by time. Built for history. The tougher the battle, the louder the victory.”