Piracy fails to dampen advance bookings for Chief Minister Vijay’s Jana Nayagan

Despite having been leaked online ahead of its theatrical release, Jana Nayagan, starring Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, has witnessed strong advance ticket sales across Chennai and its neighbouring districts, though the response has been mixed in other parts of Tamil Nadu.

While some cinemas reported a full house over the weekend, others said bookings were highest for the opening day, with Friday witnessing a comparatively low demand. Cinema owners added that bookings had been driven largely by members of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), youngsters associated with Mr. Vijay’s fan club, and Gen Z movie-goers.

‘First show’ tickets had been sold for as high as ₹500 to ₹700 in certain pockets of the State.

“The film will have a bumper opening as it is Chief Minister Vijay’s last film. The bookings have been phenomenal. The bookings have been good in Kerala, too,” film industry analyst Sreedhar Pillai said.

“The film has received an ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). This means children will not be allowed to watch it. Mr. Vijay’s fan base has traditionally been children and families.” Mr. Pillai added. Multiplexes, in particular, have always enforced the certification norms and they do not allow minors to enter screenings.

P. Dinesh Kumar, proprietor of Guru Theatre in Madurai, said, “Bookings are looking good until Sunday. People in Madurai are doubly excited to watch the movie. They come to cinemas for the experience and the atmosphere, which cannot be replicated online.”

The response from cinema owners in Madurai and Tiruchi regions was similar. S. Kumar, Relationship Manager of Broadway Cinemas Coimbatore, said bookings had been good so far.

“Jana Nayagan has generated extraordinary excitement among audiences. The response in Tamil Nadu has been particularly remarkable, with tickets sold out for the opening weekend in cinemas across the State. With over 3 lakh advance bookings already sold, we are witnessing an exceptionally strong momentum across key markets nationwide,” said Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR INOX Limited.

According to data shared by trade tracker Sacnilk (on its web portal), Jana Nayagan has sold 7.37 lakh tickets nationwide, and grossed ₹16.78 crore in advance bookings across 9,566 shows.

Revenue-sharing row

On Wednesday night, some cinemas in Chennai and in certain towns said they would not screen Jana Nayagan, citing disagreements with distributors over sharing of revenue.

“For Tamil cinema, last-minute release day disputes have almost become routine. From revenue sharing arrangements to screening terms, disagreements between distributors and exhibitors have often cast a shadow over big-ticket releases, before being resolved at the eleventh hour,” said a cinema owner in Salem. Sources in the industry hinted that distributors were asking for a 70%-75% share, rather than the usual 65%-70%.