Which Film Is Vijay's Jana Nayagan A Remake Of?

If you are a fan of both Tamil and Telugu cinema, then watching the trailer of Vijay's Jana Nayagan may given you a feeling of deja-vu due to its similarities with Nandamuri Balakrishna's Bhagavanth Kesari.

Call it coincidence or inspiration, the trailer of Vijay’s Jana Nayagan has sparked intense speculation about its storyline, with many fans suggesting that the film could be a remake of Anil Ravipudi’s Bhagavanth Kesari,. Ever since the trailer of Vijay’s much-anticipated film dropped a few days ago, audiences have been eagerly awaiting its theatrical release, ready to cheer for what is widely believed to be Thalapathy’s swan song. Meanwhile, several netizens have taken to social media to highlight apparent resemblance between Jana Nayagan and Bhagavanth Kesari. These comparisons have further fueled reports that the H Vinoth-directed action drama may indeed draw heavy 'inspiration' from the Telugu film, though there has been no official confirmation from the makers so far.

Nandamuri Balakrishna’s film trends online ahead of Vijay’s Jana Nayagan

With the film’s release drawing closer, fans have now begun revisiting the Telugu action drama on OTT platforms, resulting in Bhagavanth Kesari trending online. The film has since climbed to the top spot, indicating strong viewer interest, particularly ahead of Jana Nayagan’s release. On Amazon Prime Video, Bhagavanth Kesari is currently trending in the number one position in the drama movies category. The film, which also stars Sreeleela and Kajal Aggarwal, carries the following synopsis on the platform: “A former prisoner is determined to train his adoptive daughter to join the Indian Army. However, his mission is disrupted by a confrontation with a ruthless businessman.” The Anil Ravipudi directorial went on to win the Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 71st National Film Awards.

At a press meet for his upcoming film Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, Anil Ravipudi was asked whether the Tamil film was a remake of his hit. Responding to the question, he said, “Vijay is a superb gentleman, and this is his final film before he leaves cinema for politics. Let us wait for the film’s release to see if I have any role to play in it or not. After the release, everyone will know how it has been treated, and only then would it be right to talk about it. Until then, let us not call it a remake or anything else—it is a Thalapathy Vijay film.”

About Jana Nayagan

Jana Nayagan stars Vijay, Mamitha Baiju, Pooja Hegde, and Bobby Deol in lead roles. The film is being touted as Vijay’s swan song before his full-fledged entry into politics. It is slated for a Pongal 2026 release and will clash at the box office with Sivakarthikeyan’s period drama Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara, which hits theatres on January 10.