The trailer for Thalapathy Vijay's upcoming political action drama, 'Jana Nayagan', has not just lived up to its hype but has spectacularly shattered existing digital records, setting a formidable benchmark for Tamil cinema. The question posed in the trailer's narration – “Have you heard of a top-notch pro who beats his own record?” – has been answered resoundingly by the fans, propelling the preview to historic viewership numbers within its first day online.
A Record-Shattering Digital Debut
The trailer's performance has been nothing short of phenomenal. According to data from Sacnilk, the combined view count from YouTube and Instagram reached a staggering 83.70 million views in the first 24 hours. This massive digital wave underscores Vijay's unparalleled star power and the immense anticipation for what is billed as his final film before he transitions into full-time politics.
Breaking down the numbers reveals the scale of this achievement. On YouTube, the Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi versions of the trailer collectively contributed 52.70 million views. The Tamil version alone was a powerhouse, amassing 34.4 million views in a single day. This impressive figure allowed 'Jana Nayagan' to dethrone Vijay's own previous record-holder, 'Leo', which had garnered 31.90 million views for its Tamil trailer in the same timeframe.
Instagram played a crucial role in this digital storm, adding another 31 million views to the total. The overwhelming response across platforms triggered widespread celebration among fans on social media, who hailed the moment as a fitting tribute to their beloved star's cinematic journey.
Advance Booking Momentum Points to a Blockbuster Opening
Even with five days remaining until its theatrical release on January 9, the film is demonstrating extraordinary commercial strength. Advance bookings for 'Jana Nayagan' (titled 'Jan Neta' in Hindi) are racing ahead at a furious pace. Reports from The Week indicate that the film has already crossed ₹25 crore in global pre-sales for the opening day alone.
The overseas market is showing particularly robust demand, with advance collections already reaching $2.12 million (approximately ₹19 crore). While Tamil Nadu remains the crucial domestic market, advance sales there have been slightly delayed due to ongoing negotiations regarding screen allocation, as the film is set to clash with Sivakarthikeyan's 'Parasakthi'.
Despite this temporary hold in its home state, advance bookings within India have already touched ₹6 crore. Given this powerful early momentum, trade analysts are confidently predicting that the film's opening day global collection will comfortably cross the ₹100 crore mark.
The Historic ₹1000 Crore Dream
The record-breaking trailer and stellar advance sales have amplified trade expectations to an unprecedented level. There is a strong hope within the film industry that 'Jana Nayagan', directed by H. Vinoth, will become the first Tamil film to breach the elusive ₹1,000 crore milestone at the global box office.
Currently, the highest-grossing Tamil film is Rajinikanth's '2.0', directed by S. Shankar, which earned approximately ₹691 crore worldwide. The industry has long awaited a film to cross the thousand-crore threshold, with similar hopes previously pinned on major releases like 'Jailer', 'Leo', 'Ponniyin Selvan', and others.
Vishnu Kamal, Managing Director of Chennai's Kamala Cinemas, echoed this sentiment in an interview with Galatta Tamil, stating, "We sincerely hope that Jana Nayagan gets that record." As Vijay's cinematic swan song before his political plunge, 'Jana Nayagan' is poised not just for a massive opening but for a potential re-writing of Tamil cinema's box office history books.
