TAMIL NADU: Thousands of fans and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) workers thronged cinema halls across Tamil Nadu on Thursday (July 23) for the first day show of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's much-awaited film Jana Nayagan, his final appearance on the big screen before devoting himself fully to politics.
The release sparked celebrations across the state, with fireworks, drum performances, cake-cutting ceremonies and special prayers at temples.
Cinema halls turned into festival venues as fans gathered from the early hours to celebrate the highly anticipated release of the movie, which had run into a controversy earlier in the year.
Considered Vijay’s swansong before his transition to full-time politics, Jana Nayagan was originally slated for release ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in April. It had faced a prolonged legal battle to obtain the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) clearance.
On Thursday, several videos from across the state showed fans cheering outside theatres, dancing to DJ music, bursting crackers and posing with giant cut-outs of Vijay.
In Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu Ministers SPK Thennarasu and RV Ranjith Kumar watched the film with fans and party members at Babu Cinemas. The duo also took part in the festivities outside the theatre.
To mark the special occasion, Minister Thennarasu arranged a meal for moviegoers, personally serving hot chicken biryani, laddus, raita and brinjal curry to fans who had gathered to watch the film.
The celebrations also carried an environmental message. Tree saplings were distributed to fans on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, encouraging people to plant and care for at least one tree.
While fans rejoiced over the film's release after a prolonged delay, many also described the occasion as bittersweet, bidding an emotional farewell to the actor's three-decade-long film career.
In Mayiladuthurai, devoted fans performed traditional milk abhishegam on towering cut-outs of the Chief Minister, an enduring cinematic ritual of the state.
In Chennai, iconic cinema halls including Rohini SilverScreens, Woodlands, and Casino were adorned with imposing 'Jana Nayagan' hoardings.
One particularly striking hoarding in the city boldly hailed Vijay as "the one and only power centre" of Tamil Nadu.
A specially designed, chariot-like vehicle was arranged in a town near Chennai to welcome the movie's release with royal grandeur.
Another fan captured widespread attention by meticulously painting his luxury car with larger-than-life images of Vijay.
Thousands of fans could be spotted sporting custom 'Thangamey Thalapathy' T-shirts.
The border towns joined the fray, with fans organising an elaborate DJ party and cake-cutting ceremony at a theatre on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Kanyakumari.
The global appeal of the star was on full display as couple of Japanese fans were seen celebrating at Rohini Cinemas in Chennai. However, alongside the jubilant celebrations, controversies briefly surfaced.
Allegations of inflated ticket costs marred the morning for some, and a video clip showing heated arguments over the sudden rise in ticket rates was widely circulated on social media platforms.
Despite these logistical hurdles, the film has completely dominated the state's exhibition sector, currently being screened in 1,000 screens out of 1,168 in Tamil Nadu.
The emotional gravity of the day was acutely felt by state leaders and dignitaries who have long been ardent supporters. In Coimbatore, Minister V Sampath Kumar joined throngs of fans to watch the movie, sharing his personal reflections on the historic day.
"This is a very emotional moment for us," Minister Kumar stated.
"My primary identity has always been that of a fan. For 30 years, I was a fan first. The position of Minister is a responsibility given to me by the Chief Minister, but seeing his final film brings a heavy heart.
"We are bearing this pain because we realise that the state and our people need him as the Chief Minister," he added.
In Chennai, Minister Arun Raj, who was spotted celebrating with the FDFS crowd, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Vijay's renowned work ethic and the seamless transition of his dedication from the film sets to the political arena.
"He worked in cinema with absolute dedication, sincerity, and discipline for over 30 years. It is easy to label someone an actor, but behind his number one position was immense hard work and punctuality.
"Because he knew he could not do two jobs at the same time, he left cinema completely and entered politics. He is showing the exact same dedication in politics now," the Minister said.
The star-studded screenings in Chennai also saw the arrival of prominent figures such as music composer Anirudh Ravichander, Speaker JCD Prabhakar, actress Keerthy Suresh, Senior Minister N Anand, and producer Venkat Narayana.
For the fans, the transition of their idol from "Thalapathy" to Chief Minister necessitated a newfound civic maturity.
A fan named Kaniraj explained, "Usually, if the police told us to stop our celebrations, we would argue fiercely. But today, we listened to them. He sits as a Chief Minister now, and we must not bring any disrepute to his name."
Under the instructions of our MLA Musthafa, we ensured our festival did not cause any public disturbance. The sentiment was shared by families who flocked to theatres.
In Namakkal, a fan named Jyothi Lakshmi brought her young daughter, noting it was crucial not to miss the event.
"She skipped school for this because it is her first and his last film in theatres," she shared.
Another fan in Namakkal vowed to redirect their cinematic devotion toward supporting his political journey, declaring, "He was Thalapathy on screen, but now he has reached a new place. We will be his shoulders and stand solidly behind his political success."
Chief Minister Vijay, alongside select government officials, watched a special private screening of the movie in Chennai on Wednesday (July 22) evening, marking the quiet, personal end to a legendary cinematic journey.
Jana Nayagan has reportedly been mounted on a massive scale. According to various media reports, Vijay was paid between Rs 220 crore and Rs 275 crore, though the figures remain unverified.
Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Gautham Vasudev Menon and Narain. - Agencies
