'Jana Nayagan' movie Twitter review: 'Disappointing farewell to Vijay,' say netizens on Bhagavanth Kesari's remake

After seven long months of delays, missed Pongal dreams, and a certification saga that dragged on since December, Thalapathy Vijay's Jana Nayagan has finally stormed into theatres today, July 23 — and the first reviews are already rolling in.

Directed by H Vinoth, the film has finally stormed into theatres today, July 23, with the first reviews now pouring in from fans and critics alike.The film opened with below-average word-of-mouth at the box office.

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Jana Nayagan Twitter reactions

A social media user said that the original story gets diluted due to unnecessary political messaging, calling the film a "disappointing farewell to Vijay on the big screen". 

A second user who goes by Venky Reviews on X called Jana Nayagan "a painful farewell for Vijay". 

A third user called the film "outdated and boring", adding that it felt as if it had a mix of inspirations from Martin, Bhagavanth Kesari and 2.0. He later said the film was "strictly a one-time watch for Vijay fans — neutrals can IGNORE!"

A fourth user, however, said that even though the content of the film was "cringe", Thalapathy Vijay's scenes made it a "bearable entertainer". 

A fifth user called the film a "ruined remake", adding that the film takes Bhagavanth Kesari's core storyline and turns it into a "forced political campaign". 

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What really happened between CBFC and the Jana Nayagan team?

Speaking to Cinema Vikatan, Vinoth said the team began certification nearly 20 days before release. He said the examining committee found "no issues" and verbally promised a U/A 16+ certificate after a few violent scenes were removed. The team made those changes and accepted a few more later.

Was CBFC really behind the delay in release?

Vinoth said that when the revised version was ready, the team could not access the online portal despite calls, emails and contact with the head office. They later learnt the film had been sent to the revision committee, and did not get relief in court.

"We were told that the portal was blocked because of a complaint received against the film. By then, theatres, distributors and fans had already spent huge amounts preparing for the release. We had to answer everyone, but we ourselves did not know whether the film would receive its certificate or not," he said.

Vinoth said he believes the problem was not with the CBFC and hinted at other reasons behind the delay.

Jana Nayagan story, cast

Partially inspired by the 2023 Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari, the Vijay film is centred around a former police officer who turns into a public champion to fight structural corruption and authoritarian power. It also serves as the final cinematic appearance for Vijay after he entered full-time politics.

Besides Vijay, the film also stars Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Priyamani and Nassar in significant roles.