Jana Nayagan trailer reactions: Disappointed fans compare scenes from Vijay's film with Balakrishna's Bhagavanth Kesari

The Jana Nayagan trailer left many viewers surprised, given that the overall plot mirrors several key points that were present in Bhagavanth Kesari.

It has long been rumoured that Vijay's final film, Jana Nayagan, is a remake of the Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari, starring Balakrishna. Now that the makers of Jana Nayagan have released the trailer, viewers are feeling more convinced that the rumours are true. Many users expressed their reactions on social media, sharing how the plot of Vijay's film mirrors several points from Nandamuri Balakrishna's 2023 release, directed by Anil Ravipudi.

Jana Nayagan is the final film of Thalapathy Vijay.

Bhagavanth Kesari remake?

Viewers noticed that in both Jana Nayagan and Bhagavanth Kesari, the protagonist attempts to enlist the female character in the army, although she does not approve of this decision. However, he is angered when she is beaten and thrashed by the villainous antagonist. He then seeks revenge.

Reacting to the Jana Nayagan trailer, a fan commented, “#JanaNayagan trailer is extremely disappointing! Honestly, it would’ve been better if they hadn’t released it at all. It feels like a reworked version of Bhagavanth Kesari, and not even an upgrade. Everything looks basic and generic.”

Another said, “So this is #BhagavanthKesari adaptation with over the top elements and a humanoid robo. Will work in TN for the politics-induced highs it's gonna deliver at points. Other than that… Sathya did well, and action blocks are top tier. Hopefully something to celebrate on.”

A comment read, “Scenes, Weapons, Dialogues, Set Locations, Character Name…Everything in #JanaNayagan copied straight from #BhagavanthKesari!” Another user noted, “Calling it a scene-to-scene remake feels a bit stretched. Yes, a few sequences and emotional beats are clearly adapted from Bhagavanth Kesari, but the trailer also shows enough restructuring to suit Thalapathy Vijay’s image and Tamil sensibilities. It looks more like an official adaptation with retained core moments rather than a carbon copy.”

What the director said

For the unversed, talking about the film, Jana Nayagan director H Vinoth recently said, “This is a Thalapathy padam (film). Some people might think this is a remake and wonder why they should come and watch it. A few might even get angry. To them, I’ll say just one thing: Please wait until one show ends. You’ll get your answer.”

He also added, “People who are coming to watch the film don’t need to worry about whether it’s a remake, whether a few scenes are inspired, or whether it’s just one scene.”

Bhagavanth Kesari starred Balakrishna, Sreeleela, Kajal Aggarwal and Arjun Rampal in lead roles. Jana Nayagan will star Vijay, Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol in lead roles. It will be released on January 9, 2026, on Pongal.