One Rule for Hero Vijay… Another Rule for CM Vijay!

— Surya Prakash Josyula

Whenever a big hero’s film releases in Tamil or Telugu states, benefit shows, soaring ticket prices, and midnight fan celebrations are common. But for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and star hero Vijay’s new film ‘Jana Nayagan’, the situation looks completely different. No extra ticket prices… no entry for minors… special monitoring at theatres. It appears that the makers are giving more importance to these issues than to the box office collections. Why are there so many strict rules for a movie starring a Chief Minister? What is the real story behind this?

The much-awaited ‘Jana Nayagan’ is all set to hit theatres on July 23. Initially, the film was delayed because of censorship issues. Later, Vijay became busy with politics, delaying the release further. Now that Vijay is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the film is finally ready for release without any hurdles.

Huge Curiosity

Everyone knows that after Vijay entered politics, his political rivals tried to stop the release of this film. That created even more curiosity among the audience. Many people wanted to know why the previous government allegedly tried to block the movie and what kind of content it had. Because of this, people across Tamil Nadu are eagerly waiting to watch the film in theatres.

Within hours of advance bookings opening, lakhs of tickets were sold. Since this is being promoted as Vijay’s last film, not just fans but regular moviegoers also rushed to book tickets. But this is where the real challenge began.

Politics Is More Important Than the Box Office!

This is Vijay’s first and last film after becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. That is why, according to reports, Vijay is taking every possible precaution. Now, more than the scenes in the movie, the decisions surrounding its release are likely to be politically analysed.

One Small Mistake… Could Become a Big Political Loss

In the past, fan celebrations helped the box office. But now, the same fan frenzy could become a political problem.

Black-market ticket sales, stampedes outside theatres, or minors creating trouble—if even one such incident happens, it could trigger criticism on social media and give the opposition a major issue to attack the government.

That is why, for the first time in Vijay’s career, it appears that protecting his political image has become more important than chasing box-office records.

No Entry for Children Below 18!

The Central Board of Film Certification has already given ‘Jana Nayagan’ an ‘A’ certificate. Because of this, theatre owners have been clearly instructed not to allow anyone below the age of 18 into theatres under any circumstances.

The makers have reportedly warned exhibitors that no theatre should violate this rule.

What Does an ‘A’ Certificate Mean?

An ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate means that only people aged 18 years and above can watch the film. Allowing children or minors into theatres is against the law.

If these rules are not followed even for a Chief Minister’s film, the opposition and the media could create a huge controversy.

Strict Action If Ticket Prices Are Increased

Across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and the rest of South India, ticket price hikes during the release of big films often become controversial. It is common to see unofficial price increases to cash in on fan excitement.

However, the makers of ‘Jana Nayagan’ are making sure that nothing like this happens.

They believe that selling tickets at inflated prices could create public anger and directly damage Chief Minister Vijay’s image. That is why theatre managements have reportedly been warned not to increase ticket prices.

950 Screens… 3,000 Theatres… Massive Police Monitoring

The film will release on around 950 screens across Tamil Nadu and nearly 3,000 theatres worldwide.

As huge crowds are expected, special monitoring arrangements have reportedly been made in coordination with the local police to ensure that no unwanted incidents take place.

What Is the Situation in Telugu States?

Meanwhile, there are reports that the film is a remake of Nandamuri Balakrishna’s blockbuster ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’.

According to director H. Vinoth, ‘Jana Nayagan’ is only about 50% similar to the original. He said that nearly 60% of the first half follows the original story, while only about 20% of the second half contains remake elements.

Even though advance bookings have opened in the Telugu states, there is no major buzz or excitement so far. The film’s team is also not promoting it aggressively in Telugu.

In the End…

This is not just another movie release story. It is the first major test for Vijay after becoming Chief Minister, as he tries to protect his political image.

Now, the big question is whether ‘Jana Nayagan’ can pass this test without a single controversy.