4 min readKochiJul 19, 2026 07:31 PM IST
After months of uncertainty due to a censorship battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), director H Vinoth’s Jana Nayagan, starring actor-turned-politician Vijay in the lead role, is all set for release.
One of the most anticipated Indian films of the year, since it was supposed to mark Vijay’s swansong before his full-fledged political entry in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Jana Nayagan was initially scheduled to hit the screens on January 9, coinciding with the Pongal season.
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Why Jana Nayagan’s release was delayed
However, it became embroiled in a certification battle, leading to its release being postponed indefinitely. The movie finally received an ‘A’ certificate earlier this month, after which the makers announced that Jana Nayagan would hit the screens on Thursday, July 23. With its release right around the corner, the political action drama’s advance bookings have commenced, and tickets are selling like hotcakes.
Vijay, who currently serves as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, is already demonstrating his command over the box office, which remains undiminished, despite it being almost two years since his last film, director Venkat Prabhu’s The Greatest of All Time, hit the screens.
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Jana Nayagan advance booking report
Within hours of ticket sales beginning, Jana Nayagan earned Rs 6.7 crore (including block seats) in the domestic market as of 7 pm on Sunday, July 19. While the Tamil edition of the movie has grossed Rs 3.86 crore through the sale of 1,33,904 tickets across 2,399 shows, the Telugu and Hindi versions of the film are yet to gain momentum, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
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Interestingly, the political action drama has registered Rs 2.59 crore (including block seats) in Karnataka, followed by Rs 2.47 crore in Tamil Nadu and Rs 1.32 crore in Kerala. Advance bookings for the movie are expected to surge in the coming hours, leading to a bumper opening on July 23.
Can Vijay smash Rajinikanth’s record?
However, it remains to be seen whether Jana Nayagan will break director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Rajinikanth-led Coolie’s record (Rs 151 crore) to deliver the highest day-one worldwide collection for a Tamil film. This record previously belonged to Vijay’s Leo (Rs 148.5 crore).
Also starring Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Narain, and Nassar in key roles, Jana Nayagan features music by Anirudh Ravichander.
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KVN Productions targets 8,000 screens worldwide
During a recent interview, producer K Venkata Narayana of KVN Productions, which bankrolled the film, had revealed that they are targeting a release across 7,000 to 8,000 screens in more than 30 countries. He also mentioned that the film has undergone substantial changes from the version that was at the centre of the censorship controversy.
“There have been a lot of modifications and additions to the film. What audiences are going to experience in theatres is very different, with the addition of some songs and several changes. This movie has gone through many challenges since the beginning of the year to reach where it is today,” he told NDTV.
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