In a candid revelation, actor Sivakarthikeyan has opened up about the unexpected and high-stakes box office clash of his upcoming period political drama Parasakthi with superstar Vijay's final film before his political plunge, the action thriller Jana Nayagan. Both films are now slated for release during the lucrative Pongal 2026 festival window, a situation that initially left Sivakarthikeyan stunned.
The Shock and The Strategy Behind the Release Dates
The clash was not part of the original plan. Sivakarthikeyan and the makers of Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara, had strategically moved their film from its initial Diwali 2025 slot to Pongal 2026. This decision was made because Vijay's Jana Nayagan, directed by H Vinoth, was initially targeting a Diwali 2025 release. By moving to Pongal, they hoped to avoid a direct confrontation with the much-anticipated Vijay-starrer.
However, in a twist of fate, the Jana Nayagan team later also rescheduled their release to the Pongal 2026 window. "We continued working on our film, keeping Pongal in mind. However, suddenly, the Jana Nayagan team also pushed their release to Pongal. I felt shocked," Sivakarthikeyan admitted during a pre-release event for Parasakthi.
Sivakarthikeyan's Attempts to Avoid the Clash
This prompted the actor to take action. His first move was to call the producer of Jana Nayagan to explore the possibility of shifting one of the films to a different date, thereby avoiding what many saw as a potentially damaging clash with Vijay's cinematic swansong. The producer's response, however, highlighted the logistical and commercial complexities involved.
"He revealed that all the investors had already been informed that the film would be released for Pongal," Sivakarthikeyan recalled. The producer also indicated that any further postponement would push the release to summer 2026, which coincides with the scheduled Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, creating another set of challenges.
Not ready to give up, Sivakarthikeyan then directly contacted Vijay's manager, Jagadish. "I asked him, 'What is this, bro? Parasakthi and Jana Nayagan are releasing together, with this one even being promoted as Vijay sir's last film. You may not have a problem at the box office, but I will. Could you please ask sir about it once?'" he recounted.
Vijay's Reassuring Response and The Final Appeal
Jagadish conveyed the message to Vijay and called back within five minutes with the star's response. Vijay, through his manager, expressed confidence that the Pongal festival window was big enough for both major films to succeed. He emphasized that a major festival like Pongal offers ample scope for multiple films to perform well at the box office. Vijay also sent his best wishes for the success of Parasakthi.
With the clash now inevitable, Sivakarthikeyan made a gracious public appeal to the audience. "So, in conclusion, what I want to say is this: Everyone, please go watch and enjoy Jana Nayagan on January 9 and celebrate it. We are talking about a man who has entertained us for 33 years. Then, on January 10, come and watch Parasakthi and celebrate that too," he stated, proposing a sequential celebration of both cinematic events.
Echoing this sentiment, Aakash Baskaran, producer of Parasakthi from Dawn Pictures, called the clash an "unnecessary controversy." He pointed out that multiple big releases during Pongal are common. The decision to have a one-day gap between releases was based on feedback from theatre owners and distributors. This strategy aims to maximize the 10-day festive holiday period by allowing better management of showtimes and ensuring both films get equal screen space.
