Chennai: Thalapathy Vijay’s much-awaited Jana Nayagan, billed as the actor’s final film before his full-time entry into politics, hit theatres on Wednesday, prompting a flood of reactions on X. While fans praised Vijay’s commanding screen presence, emotional moments and Anirudh Ravichander’s music, many viewers criticised the film’s screenplay, lengthy runtime and Bobby Deol’s underwhelming antagonist.
Directed by H. Vinoth, the film stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Priyamani and Prakash Raj. Within hours of the first-day-first-show, #JanaNayagan began trending as audiences shared contrasting opinions, making the film one of the most discussed releases of the year.
Fans praise Vijay’s performance and emotional moments
A section of moviegoers felt Jana Nayagan delivers an emotional farewell to Vijay, highlighting his performance and the chemistry shared with Mamitha Baiju.
Many also credited composer Anirudh Ravichander for elevating several scenes with his background score, while praising the title card, interval sequence and post-credit scene.
One user wrote:
“An entertaining first half followed by an ok-ish second half. The biggest factor which worked in the film was the emotional connection between Thalapathy & Mamitha. The next strength was Anirudh’s music, perfectly blended in terms of both songs and BGM… Film deserves theatrical watch to celebrate Thalapathy Vijay.”
Several fans echoed similar sentiments, saying the film succeeds as a celebration of Vijay’s cinematic journey despite its shortcomings.
Critics call it a disappointing farewell
Not all viewers were impressed. Many criticised the screenplay, calling it outdated and inconsistent, with several pointing to Bobby Deol’s villain track as one of the film’s weakest aspects.
One user posted:
“#JanaNayagan A Painful Farewell for Vijay! Apart from a few elevation blocks and Anirudh’s score in places, nothing works here. H. Vinoth’s execution is very sloppy… Bobby Deol’s villain track is atrocious… VFX and production values are poor… Outright Disappointing!”
Others felt the emotional scenes lacked proper narrative flow and that the climax overstayed its welcome.
Political portions divide audiences
Several reactions specifically criticised the film’s political additions, arguing that they diluted the original story rather than strengthening it.
One review on X stated:
“#JanaNayaganReview: Political additions weaken the story. Bobby Deol’s role disappoints, and the writing falls flat. Interval, fan moments & Anirudh’s BGM work. Thalapathy Vijay fans may enjoy it, but it’s a disappointing farewell for others.”
Some viewers also questioned the screenplay choices in the final hour, describing the climax as repetitive and unnecessarily stretched.
Runtime and screenplay draw criticism
The film’s nearly three-hour runtime emerged as one of the biggest complaints among audiences.
One viewer described the final 45 minutes as “outdated and exhausting”, criticising several plot developments and saying the screenplay lost momentum in the latter half.
Another user summed up the film by writing:
“#Janayagan – Very Average Movie. Very Drag. Somehow OK first half. Average second half. Flashback saved the movie, but overall average. Three hours for the movie is too much.”
A few reactions went even further, with one social media user calling it the “worst Kollywood film of 2026”.
Mixed word of mouth on opening day
Despite the criticism, the film continues to enjoy strong fan support, particularly from Vijay’s loyal audience, many of whom have described it as an emotional theatrical experience marking the end of the actor’s film career.
Trade analysts will now be watching closely to see whether the mixed word of mouth impacts the film’s box office collections over the coming days.
Jana Nayagan marks Vijay’s final appearance on the big screen before he shifts his focus to politics. Whether remembered as a fitting farewell or a missed opportunity, the film has undoubtedly sparked widespread discussion among fans and moviegoers alike.