Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s much-awaited film Jana Nayagan premiered in nearly 1,000 theatres across Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
Regarded as the actor-politician’s farewell to cinema, the release has created tremendous excitement, with tickets selling out rapidly and fans gathering in large numbers.
A day before the release, Vijay watched the film with his family at Chennai’s Tagore Film Centre in Adyar. His parents joined the screening along with Chief Secretary Sai Kumar, Private Secretary Senthil Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Siddiq and producer Venkata Narayana.
The makers initially scheduled the film for release on January 9 but postponed it until the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted clearance.
Although unauthorised clips of the film surfaced online before its release, audience enthusiasm remained unaffected.
Many theatres opened ticket sales during the early hours to handle the surge in demand, while trade experts estimate advance bookings have crossed ₹15 crore nationwide.
Industry observers expect the film to earn between ₹50 crore and ₹60 crore on its opening day across India.
The release has turned into a celebration across the state, with theatres in several towns arranging music, performances and special events before the first show.
Cinema owners believe the excitement surrounding Vijay’s final film will continue to attract audiences to theatres despite the online leak.
At the same time, several fans alleged irregularities in ticket sales, claiming tickets priced at ₹500 to ₹800 were sold at certain theatres, while black-market prices reportedly climbed to ₹2,000.
Historic Milestone
With the release of Jana Nayagan, Vijay becomes only the second Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after MG Ramachandran to have a film released while holding office.
Despite receiving an ‘A’ certificate from the CBFC, the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has instructed its Ministers and party workers to celebrate the occasion responsibly and avoid any controversy over ticket sales.
Also Read: ‘3 Idiots’ Re-Release Reports Are False, Makers Issue Statement
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
