The much-anticipated Pongal 2025 box office clash between Thalapathy Vijay's 'Jana Nayagan' and Sivakarthikeyan's 'Parasakthi' is shrouded in controversy even before release. While both films enjoy strong audience buzz, theatre owners across Tamil Nadu are raising alarm over what they call 'abnormal' and unsustainable financial terms demanded by the makers of 'Jana Nayagan'.
Theatre Owners Reveal Unsustainable Revenue Share Demands
In a detailed conversation with Puthiya Thalaimurai, Tiruppur Subramaniam, President of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association, laid bare the core issue. He stated that the producers of 'Jana Nayagan' are asking for a staggering 75% to 80% of the theatre's collection. This demand comes despite the film reportedly garnering around 75% audience interest, while 'Parasakthi' is seeing nearly 80% interest in many centres.
Subramaniam recalled that a similar 75:25 share arrangement for Vijay's previous film, 'GOAT', resulted in losses for theatre owners. He emphasized that a more practical and fair share would be in the 50:50 or 60:40 range to ensure the survival of cinema halls.
Breaking Down the Math: Can Theatres Survive?
Explaining the financial strain with a clear example, Subramaniam detailed the actual earnings for a theatre. He said, "A ticket costs Rs. 190, and tax is Rs. 42. If they charge 75% of the remaining amount, we will get only Rs. 37 for a ticket." He posed critical questions about sustainability: "Do we need to run a theatre? Can we pay salaries? Can we pay EB bills? What can we do?"
He clarified that theatre owners are not averse to sharing profits but find the current demands excessive. "We haven't asked them to pay 40% or 30%. We are ready to pay up to 70%. But they are asking us to pay 75% or 80% in a place like Tirunelveli," he stated, questioning the benefit of such a one-sided deal.
Regional Variations and Impact on Advance Bookings
The President also highlighted regional disparities in audience interest. He noted that 'Jana Nayagan' has around 60% audience interest in Kerala and Palakkad, which rises to about 75% in Coimbatore. He pointed out that such high revenue-sharing numbers are uncommon even in Kerala when big stars collaborate.
Subramaniam directly connected the high revenue demand to the slow pace of advance bookings for the films. "They are asking for 75% or even 80%. That's why the booking is very slow. There is no other reason," he asserted. He also denied any political or external pressure, stating clearly that the issue is purely business-related.
Sivakarthikeyan's Take on the Pongal Clash
Earlier, actor Sivakarthikeyan had addressed the release date clash. He revealed that his team initially planned a Diwali 2025 release for 'Parasakthi' but dropped the idea upon learning that the 'Jana Nayagan' team had already fixed that date. They then shifted focus to Pongal. "Later when the Jana Nayagan team also shifted their release to Pongal I was really shocked," Sivakarthikeyan said during an event.
As the Pongal festival approaches, the standoff between producers and exhibitors casts a shadow over the release of two of Tamil cinema's biggest films. The industry watches closely to see if a middle ground can be found to ensure that the films reach audiences without crippling the very theatres that showcase them.
