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Dance performances, laser shows, and more: Theatres turn into arenas in TN as Vijay's Jana Nayagan finally releases

Celebrations break out in various parts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday as CM Vijay's final film Jana Nayagan was set to release.

Updated on: Jul 23, 2026, 07:52:07 IST
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The final film of Vijay's career, Jana Nayagan, is here. And across Tamil Nadu, fans and exhibitors have turned its release into a celebration of their Chief Minister and Thalapathy. The film's release on Thursday is being marked by celebrations, performances, drone shows, and special programmes across Tamil Nadu, with both fans and cadres of Vijay's party TVK participating.

Giant cut-outs and banners installed by fans as actor-politician and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's film Jana Nayagan opened to packed houses, in Chennai on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (Lakshmi )
Giant cut-outs and banners installed by fans as actor-politician and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay's film Jana Nayagan opened to packed houses, in Chennai on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (Lakshmi )

Jana Nayagan celebrations begin across Tamil Nadu

In many theatres, including Woodlands and Casino in Chennai, special cultural performances marked the arrival of the much-awaited film and laser beams shot into the night sky to hail Vijay while fans danced to peppy tunes. A drone show was held in a Chennai theatre late on Wednesday night as fans began to gather in anticipation of the early morning show.

In other places, huge cutouts of the actor-politician were placed outside theatres and in major crossings around Chennai. Vijay himself, along with some officials, watched a special screening of Jana Nayagan here on Wednesday evening, PTI reported.

Fans organise special programmes across state

Tamil Nadu Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said the Jana Nayagan release was a festival like Diwali and Pongal. He told reporters that he, too, has essayed a small role in the film, and it was his golden time. TVK legislator KV Vijaydhamu said, "Tomorrow I will forget that I am an MLA and will enjoy the cinema as a fan."

Across the state, fans started several initiatives to turn the release into a celebration. Vijaydhamu added that helmets would be given to about 100 people in Chennai as a souvenir in the presence of TVK leader and Minister N Anand.

Fans and TVK cadres, who thronged cinemas, said they wanted to have an "early feel" of the ambience as huge banners hailed the "farewell" movie of their loved actor. Jana Nayagan is Vijay's final film as an actor, following which the new Tamil Nadu CM will focus on his political career.

Not a film, but a festival

Alongside celebrations, allegations of the inflated cost of tickets surfaced, and a video clip of arguments was circulated on social media over the "rise" in ticket rates. A film distributor said the Puducherry government has allowed a special morning show at 7 AM. In May, CM Vijay allowed cinemas to screen five shows every day for the first seven days from the film's release.

Industry sources said fans had big plans to celebrate the opening day with "milk abishekam" to Vijay's hoardings, "Annadhanam," and display of fireworks as well. Director of Kamala Cinemas, Vishnu Kamal, said Jana Nayagan was not merely a film but a festival.

In a social media post, Kamal said that for the first time in history, the 25th day (August 16) celebration show of Jana Nayagan is "Housefull" within just 5 minutes.

All about Jana Nayagan

Jana Nayagan, directed by H Vinoth, is Vijay’s final film before his full-fledged move to politics. The film was slated for release in January but had to be delayed after it could not obtain the certification from the CBFC. In the meantime, Vijay’s TVK won the TN Assembly Elections, and the star took oath as the state’s CM. The film features a prominent ensemble cast, including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.

  • Abhimanyu Mathur
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Abhimanyu Mathur

    Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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