With massive fan anticipation and strong advance bookings, Jana Nayagan is expected to deliver a powerful theatrical opening as Vijay’s final film takes centre stage.
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Will Vijay’s final film surpass GOAT’s record opening (PC: Twitter)
The wait is finally over as Thalapathy Vijay, now Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay‘s Jana Nayagan, has arrived in theatres, creating a wave of excitement among fans across the country. From early morning shows to grand celebrations outside cinemas, the film has turned into a major event rather than just a regular release. Being promoted as Vijay’s final film before his full-time political journey, Jana Nayagan has attracted enormous attention. Fans have been sharing reactions, reviews and moments from theatres on social media, making the film one of the biggest talking points of the day.
Twitter reviews and fan reactions create huge buzz
Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions from fans who watched Jana Nayagan during its first shows. Many viewers have praised Vijay’s screen presence, emotional moments and the larger-than-life presentation of the political action thriller.
The film’s release has also become a celebration in Tamil Nadu, with several theatres witnessing packed shows, special decorations and fan activities. Videos of celebrations including drone displays, laser shows and cultural performances have added to the excitement surrounding Vijay’s final cinematic appearance.
Jana Nayagan day 1 box office collection update
According to early tracking data by Sacnilk, Jana Nayagan is showing a strong opening at the box office. As of Day 1, the film is running across 11,233 shows and has collected a net of Rs 25.99 crore in India. This takes the total India gross collection to Rs 30.67 crore, while the total India net collection currently stands at Rs 25.99 crore. The final Day 1 figures are yet to be reported.
The Tamil version of Jana Nayagan recorded an overall occupancy of 66.64% on its opening day. The film registered 73.85% occupancy during morning shows, 62.46% during afternoon shows, 63.62% during evening shows and strong audience turnout continued into night shows.
Can Jana Nayagan beat GOAT’s opening record?
While Jana Nayagan has opened strongly, early trade predictions suggest that Vijay’s farewell film may not surpass the opening day record of The Greatest of All Time (GOAT). Trade estimates suggest that Jana Nayagan could collect around Rs 80 crore to Rs 100 crore gross worldwide on Day 1.
However, this remains below GOAT, which achieved a massive opening of around Rs 126 crore to Rs 127 crore globally. The comparison has become one of the biggest talking points among Vijay fans as both films represent major milestones in the actor’s career.
Box office comparison between Vijay’s biggest films
Thalapathy Vijay’s cult classic Leo, which was released in 2023, recorded a worldwide Day 1 gross of around Rs 148.5 crore, making it one of Vijay’s biggest openings. The Greatest of All Time followed with approximately Rs 126 crore worldwide on its first day. Meanwhile, Jana Nayagan is expected to open between Rs 80 crore and Rs 100 crore worldwide, with estimated India net collections around Rs 37 crore to Rs 42 crore.
Despite the comparison, the film has achieved strong pre-release momentum. The movie crossed one million pre-sale tickets on BookMyShow, becoming one of the highest-selling Indian films of 2026 before release. Early trends also indicated strong overseas demand, with significant contribution expected from international markets.
Challenges faced by Jana Nayagan before release
The film’s box office journey comes after several hurdles. Jana Nayagan faced a delay of around seven months due to certification issues, an online HD leak before release and an ‘A’ certificate from the censor board. Despite these challenges, the film received a massive worldwide release on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The advance bookings crossed Rs 6.7 crore within hours of opening, helping the film secure a major release across thousands of screens.
About Jana Nayagan and GOAT
Directed by H. Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan stars Thalapathy Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Mamitha Baiju. The story follows an upright ex-cop who gets caught in a dangerous conflict involving a popular leader and a powerful corrupt businessman.
On the other hand, The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is a sci-fi action thriller directed by Venkat Prabhu. The film featured Vijay in a dual role and included actors such as Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Sneha and Mohan. As the first day progresses, Jana Nayagan continues to dominate conversations online. While breaking GOAT’s opening record may be difficult, Vijay’s farewell film has already created a historic atmosphere among fans and cinema lovers.
