Ever since the trailer of Vijay's much-anticipated film Jana Nayagan was released, fans of the film have been awaiting catch a glimpse of the film in theatres and cheer for the actor's swan song. However, hundreds of social media users also been pointing out the apparent similarities between the film and Nandamuri Balakrishna's 2023 Telugu drama Bhagavanth Kesari, adding on to the strong rumours of H Vinoth-helmed actioner being inspired or adapted from the latter.
With the trailer unveiled on Saturday, fans have been thronging OTT platform Prime Video to watch Balakrishna's film, fueled by the curiosity surrounding the movie. This resulted in the film making it to the list of top trending movies in India. Bhagavanth Kesari, which entered the charts at the second position, has now moved to the top spot indicating strong interest in the Anil Ravipudi-directed film, especially ahead of Jana Nayagan's release.
While these discussions flood the internet, H Vinoth has remained tight-lipped on disclosing whether his film is a remake of Bhagavanth Kesari. In a recent interview, he said, "For now I cannot say if Jana Nayagan is a remake of Bhagavanth Kesari or not. Those who think if it's a remake film, and question why they have to watch it again, I suggest you to wait until the first show ends. You will get the answer at the time. The trailer and songs will also give you a clarity. But what I can say is that it is a Thalapathy film."
The film's trailer opens with a nod at Vijay's political chants for his real-life party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Later, the H Vinoth directorial's trailer shows Vijay in multiple get-ups, including as an apparent convict, an apparent revolutionary and a police officer. "I am only a normal person but have heard that everything I do is super," Vijay's character tells a child actor's (Lithanya Sivabalan) character. Mamitha Baiju plays Vijay's daughter, Viji, whom he wants to make an Indian Army officer. However, Viji goes through a traumatic event, which seemingly makes her reconsider her father's wish for her to join the army. Meanwhile, Bobby Deol plays the antagonist, seemingly a terrorist with the mission to destroy India.
Pooja Hegde also plays a pivotal role in the film. The rest of the cast members are: Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, and others.
Bhagavanth Kesari, released in 2023, featured Kajal Aggarwal, Sreeleela and Arjun Rampal in leading roles. Directed by Anil Ravipudi, the film earned the Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 71st National Film Awards.
Jana Nayagan has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander, camera work by Sathyan Sooryan and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. It gears up for a Pongal 2026 release where it will clash at the box office with Sivakarthikeyan’s period drama Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara, which hits screens on January 10, 2026.