Jana Nayagan Movie Review: Vijay's swansong hits more wrong notes than right
MUMBAI : Hate. Mahatma Gandhi once said that the biggest enemy, as many think, is not hate, but fear. But the powers that be know that the easiest way to dissipate this fear is hate.
If you are afraid of something, you might stay away from it. But when you hate something, you want it to be vanquished.
That’s what is happening across the world right now, and H Vinoth’s latest film, Jana Nayagan, explores the agenda of hate. While the core idea of Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay’s Jana Nayagan might seem similar, the agenda is more political, the electoral kind.
Vijay’s cinematic swansong tries to balance both agendas, but warning bells for the future stand no chance against a fiery political speech that is delivered by a charming Pied Piper.
Firstly, Vijay, as Thalapathy Vetri Kondan, is at his charismatic best in Jana Nayagan. He does everything that made him the beloved superstar of fans across generations.
He dances like a charm, especially in 'Thalapathy Kacheri' and that extended portion where he turns back the clock to take us through a nostalgic ride.
There is a wonderful way he uses properties during action sequences, and we see that in full display throughout the film. When he realises the extent of love his daughter,
Viji (Mamitha Baiju), actually has for him, there are glimpses of the Vijay who aces emotional sequences with a lot of flair. We also see the playful side of him in scenes peppered in Jana Nayagan, which also has Vijay simmering with intense ferocity.
And yet, as Thalapathy Vetri Kondan, we are also made to forget that this was an actor who entertained us with abandon. Here’s a Vijay who wanted this film to be his unabashed political vehicle.
In Jana Nayagan, politics is not discussed or debated. It is shouted through a megaphone, ending up less a conversation and more of a monologue. Vetri talks about every issue that stems from political apathy, but there is no place for nuanced discussion because
Vijay didn’t have enough time. The film was supposed to be released before the Tamil Nadu elections, and the political digs against his opponents aren’t hidden. But, considering how politics is stranger than fiction, he is now the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and certain potshots also end up as shooting his own journey in the foot.
But again, it all gets drowned down in the incessant cheers of fans who would lap it all up to see their matinee idol on the screen for one final time. Whenever the cheers and wolf-whistles take a breather, Vinoth enters the fray to tell the story of John Himmler (Bobby Deol), who is showcased as the ‘Death Merchant’ with a world-domination agenda. And what is his preferred choice of weapon: Fear-induced hate.
Oh, also, Jana Nayagan is a remake of Bhagavanth Kesari, the 2023 Anil Ravipudi film, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna and Sreeleela. In fact, it was the most sobering character of Balayya in over a decade, and we saw him resort to the iconic Balayya-isms only in the stunt sequences.
While Jana Nayagan takes various plot points from Bhagavanth Kesari, especially the equation between Vetri and Viji, it also is its own beast, thanks to Vinoth’s vision.
It is interesting how Vinoth remained most faithful to Bhagavanth Kesari when sketching Vijay’s character, and went on such random tangents when figuring out Bobby’s arc. Himmler is an interesting villain with a strong drive and reason to turn evil.
It might not be new, but it isn’t without merit. Vijay is relegated to playing yet another iteration of a character from his post-Thuppakki phase. He is a man with a past, an especially gory one, and finds himself at loggerheads with an antagonist who is the reason behind his past being gory. And finally, when they fight it out, it also means Vijay gets to dole out a few pertinent points to society, while vanquishing the villain and everything he stands for.
Director: H Vinoth
Cast: Vijay, Mamitha Baiju, Bobby Deol, Pooja Hegde
