Even before the movie’s release, there’s growing fear among fans that Jana Nayagan may not be great or deliver the ultimate “Thalapathy Thiruvizha” experience. Marking Vijay’s final film appearance before his complete foray into politics, the movie is set to hit screens on January 9, coinciding with Pongal. While Vijay’s fans are excited to celebrate him once again, they are also emotional, as by the end of the movie, they must bid goodbye to the star who has been an integral part of their lives for the past three decades. At a time when fears that the poignant moment will be too overwhelming are already plaguing the masses, the recently released trailer for Jana Nayagan, which left many unimpressed, has only added to the worry that they might have to say their goodbyes to Thalapathy dissatisfied. Of course, the wish of any Vijay fan at this point will be to get more of him going forward, or at least as much as they have till now, but the fear of parting ways with him while unsatisfied with his “last” film is chilling.
But what’s causing that fear? Is Jana Nayagan’s trailer truly that underwhelming? And even if the rumours are true and it’s a remake of director Anil Ravipudi’s Nandamuri Balakrishna-starrer Bhagavanth Kesari (2023), or even loosely based on it, what’s the big deal? It’s not like Vijay’s movies are mostly known for innovative ideas, or he is renowned as an actor extraordinaire. We are talking about a performer who made a fortune by mostly doing mindless commercial masala actioners for much of his career. Although Jana Nayagan’s director H Vinoth’s last couple of movies were underwhelming, it’s not like Vijay has worked only with filmmaking legends throughout his career. Considering that it’s the same Vinoth who made widely acclaimed movies like Sathuranga Vettai (2014) and Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017), it’s also unfair to blindly assume that Jana Nayagan may not hit the mark.
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Then why are Thalapathy fans, in a sense, scared? Why do they feel that Jana Nayagan may not have all that’s required for them to celebrate Vijay – one of the finest entertainers in 21st-century Tamil cinema, even if his acting abilities are strictly average most of the time – to the fullest, despite the political actioner’s trailer showing that it has pretty much all the ingredients typically found in his movies?
For this, let’s first take a look back and ascertain which was his last film that opened to widely favourable responses from fans. Although films like Leo (2023), Master (2021), Mersal (2017) and Theri (2016) did impress a good chunk of his fan base, it’s impossible to say they were universally well received. Arguably, the last Thalapathy film to capture the hearts of a lion’s share of his fans was AR Murugadoss’ Kaththi (2014). Although some expressed dissatisfaction with Kaththi’s ending, the movie largely entertained Vijay’s fans. One of its biggest strengths was that the action drama had everything people look for in a Thalapathy film. It was as if Murugadoss had cracked the Vijay formula by understanding the exact quantities of each ingredient needed to ensure a proper Thalapathy Thiruvizha.
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Watch Jana Nayagan trailer here:
From a tear-jerking and dramatic storyline centred on food-givers (farmers) and their struggle for a person’s most basic need (water), to Vijay rising as the saviour of the downtrodden against a ruthless rich villain, a romantic subplot with him cast opposite a gorgeous heroine (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) and them dancing to groovy tracks occasionally, multiple well-choreographed action sequences, and Vijay appearing in pretty much every frame (thanks to him playing a dual role), Kaththi was the whole package. While it had a proper, heartening storyline, Kaththi was also crafted in a peculiar way where almost all the scenes functioned like short films on their own, with a start, mid, and end, but all revolving around Vijay. It was as if each scene was designed to showcase Vijay in his element. Be it romantic, comedic, action-packed, or emotional moments, Murugadoss adhered to this style, offering the audience a high at every turn. It was, in a way, similar to what directors Prabhu Deva and Dharani did in Pokkiri (2007) and Ghilli (2004), respectively, which were itself remakes of the Mahesh Babu-starrers Pokiri (2006) and Okkadu (2003).
This, however, has largely been the template that many mass masala filmmakers have been following since the 2000s, wherein the whole is irrelevant and only the parts matter. What is the entire movie about or how does it make one feel? Pointless questions. The only thing that matters in such films is how many scenes delivered an adrenaline rush. In a way, mainstream Indian cinema has been chained to the misconception that “for the audience to feel paisa vasool (value for money), the number of such scenes should be high” for quite some time, and Vijay is arguably one of the biggest stars to profit from such films.
Vijay at Jana Nayagan’s audio launch in Malaysia. (Credit: Facebook/@kvnproductions)
While the audience’s choice to love such movies can in no way be questioned, the burden it creates often falls squarely on the makers, particularly the writers and directors. The biggest examples from Vijay’s career that underscore how difficult it is to ace a Thalapathy Thiruvizha movie are Mersal and Bigil (2019). Despite following the same formula as Kaththi, director Atlee Kumar couldn’t replicate Murugadoss’ success on a cinematic level. In fact, even Murugadoss couldn’t achieve the same success when he reunited with Vijay in Sarkar (2018).
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One of the major reasons behind this is that, although Vijay rose to fame doing heartwarming dramas like Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999), Kushi (2000), Priyamaanavale (2000) and Friends (2001), among others, it’s the mindless mass masalas that catapulted him to superstardom and further fortified his position there. Most such movies were packed with his signature elements, such as dance numbers, mass dialogues, high-octane action sequences, monologues on right and wrong, swagger, style, and fun comedy, along with splashes of misogyny for incel fans. In other words, that was all those movies had. His admirers, or the audience in general, primarily tuned in to his films to catch him acing these elements. For them, the more the “Vijay-ness,” the better the movie.
Vijay and Bobby Deol in Jana Nayagan. (Credit: Facebook/@kvnproductions)
However, filmmakers have the additional responsibility of ensuring that, while incorporating all these ingredients, their films don’t look like replicas of past Vijay movies. When making a film focused on everything that contributed to an actor’s superstardom, the creative freedom available to the helmer can be limited. Now, imagine what happens if every movie the actor/star does centres around his theatrics?
Not every filmmaker can be a genius like Pa Ranjith and create something as extraordinary as Kaala (2018) while staying true to the kind of films he aspires to make and the superstardom that defines Rajinikanth. Although Lokesh Kanagaraj attempted to do something similar with Vijay in Leo, and he excelled in it in the first half, the movie fell off track when he began tapping into Vijay’s superstardom. A similar issue can be seen in Vijay’s intro or hype-up songs as well, where everything revolves around “Annan,” “Thalaiva” and “Thalapathy,” almost as if he has no identity beyond these sobriquets.
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In a way, it can be said that Vijay’s stardom has grown too big to be contained in a film. For Vijay and his fans, each movie is a celebration of “Vijay-ness,” but for the makers, it’s a high-stakes test that defines their future in the industry. Even though people might still enjoy watching Pokkiri, Thirupaachi (2005), or Azhagiya Tamil Magan (2007) on TV, a similar movie can’t be made today. The innate “Vijay-ness” that defined his superstardom belongs to the 2000s, when filmmaking did not matter as much, and all directors focused on was using formulas and cliches to tell a story in the “most entertaining” manner. Unfortunately, this approach cannot be resurrected now, as audiences would label it as lazy on the part of the creators.
Had Vijay received — or H Vinoth managed to create — something like S Shankar’s Rajinikanth-starrer Sivaji: The Boss (2007), where every frame was built around and deeply rooted in Rajinism, it would have been the perfect goodbye for the star. But again, that stylistic approach also belongs in the 2000s, and a similar film would likely be trolled mercilessly by audiences if released today. As a result, no matter who directs Vijay’s last film, there’s a high chance it could leave the audience underwhelmed because their expectations for a Vijay movie — where every moment is crafted for Thalapathy Thiruvizha — are so high that even Vijay may struggle to meet them.
It’s amidst all this that Vinoth and Vijay are bringing Jana Nayagan. As the clock ticks down to its release, fans worldwide are eagerly anticipating their last ride with Thalapathy. Let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint.
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