The upcoming Pongal release of Thalapathy Vijay's Jana Nayagan is generating a seismic wave at the global box office, even before its official opening on January 9. Early figures indicate a thunderous response from international audiences, setting the stage for a potentially record-breaking festive run.
Global Box Office Frenzy: Malaysia Takes the Lead
According to data from industry tracker Sacnilk, the worldwide advance bookings for the film have already touched an impressive ₹35 crore. The standout story, however, is the overwhelming contribution from overseas markets, which alone account for over ₹25 crore of this total.
The film's international pull is most evident in Malaysia, the country that hosted the grand audio launch. Here, Jana Nayagan has created history by selling a staggering 50,000 tickets within just two hours of bookings opening. This phenomenal pace makes it the fastest ticket sale ever recorded for an Indian film in the Malaysian market.
Beyond Malaysia, other key international territories are also showing immense strength. Markets like North America and the United Kingdom have reported robust pre-sales, significantly contributing to the overseas collection surge well ahead of the film's release.
Indian Market Awaits Full-Scale Bookings
In contrast to the overseas boom, pre-sales within India currently stand at approximately ₹7 crore. It is crucial to note that this figure has been achieved at a time when advance bookings in major domestic markets, including the crucial state of Tamil Nadu, are not yet fully operational.
Karnataka has emerged as the frontrunner in India so far, contributing over ₹4 crore to the domestic total. Even on a limited number of shows in Vijay's home state, the film has managed to garner nearly ₹1 crore in advance sales. Industry experts believe these numbers are merely a precursor to a much larger wave of bookings expected soon.
CBFC Clearance Causes Delay in Tamil Nadu
A key factor affecting the domestic rollout is the awaited certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). As per a Moneycontrol report, both Jana Nayagan and the other major Pongal release, Sivakarthikeyan's Parasakthi (slated for January 10), are facing a delay in advance ticket sales due to this pending clearance.
Standard industry practice requires cinemas to wait for the CBFC certificate before finalizing show timings and opening sales. This precaution helps avoid last-minute disruptions if the board orders any cuts or dialogue changes. Consequently, fans and theatre owners in the key market of Tamil Nadu are having to wait longer than anticipated for bookings to open officially.
Meanwhile, advance bookings have already commenced in the neighbouring states of Kerala and Karnataka, with both reporting strong early trends. The full-fledged advance booking for Jana Nayagan across all platforms is expected to begin soon, with social media buzz indicating a potential start on January 6.
The unprecedented pre-release performance, especially overseas, underscores Thalapathy Vijay's massive global stardom. It positions Jana Nayagan as one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the year, with all eyes now on its final CBFC clearance and the subsequent opening of the floodgates in its primary domestic market.
