After director H Vinoth, now Jana Nayagan producer K Venkat Narayana of KVN Productions has expressed happiness and relief on the actioner performing well at the box office and bringing steady crowds to theatres.
In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, he called it a "challenging journey" and "struggle" to bring the film to theatres. "Making the film was a easier process. We went through a lot of hardships for reasons unknown to us even today. But we've put this behind us. Once we got the certificate, our only goal was to see how we can bring every stakeholder on board to screen the film - from exhibitors to distributors. Worldwide, there were many prominent releases, but we wanted a date where audiences will be able to enjoy and celebrate it, especially because this is Vijay's last film," he explained.
Venkat Narayana also confirmed that the film has been performing well at the box office. "For what it has gone through, especially with the censor-related delays and piracy, the film has been doing well. If it had released during the Pongal holidays or after the elections, during summer vacations, the results would have been very different. However, the reception we have been getting, has been truly amazing," he added, crediting Vijay's stardom, "magic", along with a strong emotional connect with the audiences playing a "major role" in the film receiving massive footfall in theatres.
Previously H Vinoth echoed similar sentiments, but expressed his regret at the CBFC's rating for the film. He said that the film's box office would have been "unstoppable" if it had received a UA rating from CBFC. "Despite all the issues, people have extended their full support for the film, which I am thankful for. However, if the film had received a U/A rating from CBFC, it would have become an unstoppable victory. But it's okay," he said.
For the uninitiated, Jana Nayagan was originally slated for a Pongal release in January this year but eventually hit theatres on July 23 after a prolonged six-month battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Ahead of its release, the Vijay-starrer was awarded an 'A' certificate, with the board recommending 12 cuts and modifications before granting clearance. The film was also a victim to a large-scale piracy in April where the entire duration was leaked online, bringing a huge setback for the makers.
Despite these setbacks, Jana Nayagan crossed the Rs 200 crore mark worldwide in just four days of its release and is inching towards the Rs 300 crore milestone. A partial remake of 2023 National Award-winning Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari, headlined by Nandamuri Balakrishna, Jana Nayagan boasts a star-studded ensemble featuring Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde, and Bobby Deol, alongside Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain and Priyamani.