C Joseph Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is not just a film but a potent political statement, strategically crafted to align with his political aspirations and claim the legacy of M G Ramachandran, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Key Points
- Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is seen as his most political film to date, explicitly outlining his political stance and aiming to claim the legacy of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran.
- The film is widely considered a remake of the 2013 Telugu movie Bhagavanth Kesari, with significant alterations made to suit Vijay’s political narrative.
- Despite its political messaging and ‘mass-y’ elements designed for fans, the film is criticised for its weak story, underdeveloped characters, and wasted talent.
It is not a secret that C Joseph Vijay’s latest film — as claimed by many, but not corroborated by him so far — is a remake of the 2013 Telugu potboiler Bhagavanth Kesari (2023), starring Nandamuri Balakrishna.
Now why would anyone want to remake that film eludes me, but it is safe not to question filmdom’s choice of films. Especially Tamil filmdom’s choices.
What is pertinent is how Vijay has had the film altered to suit his political ambition, making it into his most political film ever.
Vijay’s Political Ambition on Screen
If Sarkar (2018) outlined Vijay’s electoral plan — to use social media and the youth network, something he did in April’s Tamil Nadu assembly elections with resounding success (interestingly, the script had him abdicating in favour of a proven administrator), Vijay remaining outside government to question — Jana Nayagan goes even further.
It outlines his politics in clear terms and, most importantly, lays claim to the legacy of M G Ramachandran, matinee idol turned Tamil Nadu chief minister. It was a pre-election film, but given its content was put on the backburner, to release almost three months after the elections.
Which led me to think: Did Vijay really expect to win the elections the way he did? Because the film led me to believe that he didn’t, and his use of MGR’s song and persona even shows that his target was the latter’s party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is in doldrums.
Tamil films have always been more about style than content. Which is why MGR was a bigger star than his talented contemporary Sivaji Ganesan. Or only Rajinikanth is known as the superstar, not Kamal Haasan despite his incredible body of work.
The Tamil star is all about style (idhudhaan (this is) Rajini style’s used to be a big thing once), mannerism and ‘mass-y’ dialogues, known as ‘punch’. Vijay, whose political gain is clearly Rajini’s loss, has mastered all of them, even replicating Rajini’s famous hand movement to signal action.
Naturally, Vijay fans went berserk at every mannerism, dialogue and entry. If only the story had what Vijay calls getthu (loosely, attitude)…
Story and Character Development
The film begins as a flashback to a Madurai prison in 2013, and has an extended action scene at the end of which he has vanquished all his foes. Naturally.
Which is also cue for the film’s first political dialogue: ‘We are not protecting Thalapathy, we are under his protection’.
If it helps, Vijay’s character is named Thalapathy (also his filmdom title meaning commander), full name Thalapathy Vettri Kondan, or TVK, yes, you guessed it, it is his party’s initials in real life.
From them on, it’s not a film but a political vehicle; sorry, have I said this before? That’s how addled my brain was on seeing Jana Nayagan.
The whistle (the TVK’s election symbol) comes out.
MGR’s song Naan Aanaiyittal is played.
MGR even speaks to Vijay, who then grabs his whip and wields it on the baddies.
But that’s all for the fans.
Otherwise characters are introduced, but not fleshed out. Talent is wasted. Criminally.
Like Prakash Raj, for instance. Or Revathy, who plays Vijay’s mother. Priyamani, despite the twist at the end you anticipate. Even Gautham Vasudev Menon, who was Vijay’s friend and confidant in Leo, has a blink and miss appearance.
Even if you know heroines in such films are only an adornment, Pooja Hegde, who plays journalist Kaayal, partners with the actor after Beast and as usual, is forced into the plot for the glamour.
The only other character who has some weight is Bobby Deol, the familiar antagonist in southern films, and Mamitha Baiju, who plays his adopted daughter Viji suffering from anxiety and phobia.
Why she suffers from these is actually the crux of the story, which kind of holds your interest initially.
That is till the interval, when the suspense is broken with Vijay’s famous dialogue ‘I am coming’.
His ‘I am waiting’ is also equally iconic for his fans.
Once the little suspense goes, you know the trajectory of the film. Bobby Deol gets to thrown a few punches at Vijay, there’s extended VFX used in the way-too-long climax. Plus, the film has hat tilt to assorted films like Jawan, Avengers…
Budget, Future, and Rating
You can’t blame the film for being ambitious.
A young Viji calls Vijay ‘superman’, and that is the role he plays in film after film, minus the undies outside the costume.
Usually, his films are quite enjoyable in a mass-y way, I enjoyed his GOAT (where he plays both protagonist and antagonist), and a whole lot of others.
Tamil films, in that sense, are miles away from Malayalam films starring superstars — they still make you think; with most Tamil films, you escape reality.
Can life be so different in two inter-linked, adjoining states with similar people, that they choose entirely different genre of films? I’ve often wondered without knowing the answer.
Without giving away the plot or the twists, the story is simple.
Vijay is a former cop; Prakash Raj is a thug-turned-politician; Bobby Deol is a DCP who turns and takes on his former colleague. Why? That’s the story that goes on for three hours but feels like five. And you come out of the theatre without recalling any great moment.
The film also offers plenty of insight into Vijay’s politics.
Women’s empowerment is one.
Communal harmony is another.
Did Jana Nayagan really cost Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) to make? There’s no official word, but since Vijay is said to be India’s costliest actor, charging in excess of Rs 200 crore (again, rumoured and not denied), it is possible it did.
Money well spent? Nah, not at all.
Is Jana Nayagan really Vijay’s last film? Again, there is no official word on it, but director H Vinoth, whose previous two films starred Ajith Kumar (Thunivu and Valimai), said this was ‘Chief Minister Vijay’s first film’.
For the record, MGR acted in two films after becoming chief minister.
And there are at least two of Vijay’s films with a teaser for a sequel. Leo was one, with Kamal Haasan’s Vikram speaking to Vijay in his baritone in the final scene, asking to speak to Paarthiban Ennum Leo and enrolling in the bigger war against narcotics.
GOAT also ends with Vijay’s son/clone readying for another clash.
If Vijay does continue to act, maybe he should focus on these two projects, rather than pick another political theme. That is a cheque that has already been encashed.
