Thalapathy Vijay, Tamil cinema’s unstoppable force, is back in the spotlight, and this time it’s for a paycheck that’s got everyone talking. According to a June 24, 2025, report from Pinkvilla, Vijay reportedly bagged a massive ₹275 crore for his upcoming film Jana Nayagan, set to hit theaters on January 9, 2026. If the number holds up, this straight-up payment—no profit shares or backend deals—makes Vijay one of India’s highest-paid stars, outshining even Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth. With whispers that this could be his final film before diving into politics full-time, Jana Nayagan is shaping up to be a colossal send-off for the superstar.
Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan is Vijay’s 69th movie, a high-octane action flick loaded with stars like Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, and Priyamani. The first glimpse, Jana Nayagan’s First Roar, recently dropped, showing Vijay owning the screen as a fierce cop—possibly named Thalapathy Vetri Kondan (TVK), a wink at his political party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam. Anirudh Ravichander’s music, including a rumored farewell track called “One Last Song” sung by Vijay himself, has fans hyped. The film’s pre-release deals are wild—Pinkvilla reports Amazon Prime Video shelled out ₹121 crore for streaming rights, while satellite rights went for ₹55 crore.
That ₹275 crore fee? Pinkvilla says Vijay quoted it upfront, a bold flex of his box-office muscle. He pulled ₹200 crore for his last film, The Greatest of All Time (GOAT), so this jump isn’t totally out of left field. Vijay’s been packing theaters for three decades with hits like Theri and Leo, and his global fanbase stretches from Tamil Nadu to Kerala and beyond. Some fans are skeptical, though, wondering if the number’s been juiced up for hype, while others see it as the perfect cap to his legendary run.
Jana Nayagan is more than just another actioner. Pinkvilla notes the makers paid ₹4.5 crore for remake rights to a key scene from Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Bhagavanth Kesari, a “Good Touch, Bad Touch” moment Vijay loved. The story paints Vijay as a “torchbearer of democracy,” echoing his political shift, though Vinoth insists it’s a crowd-pleaser, not a soapbox. Pooja Hegde, back with Vijay after Beast, told Pinkvilla she’s “sad” it’s his last, and Mamitha Baiju teared up when Vijay sidestepped retirement talk, hinting he’s not spilling all his plans yet.
With a ₹300 crore budget, per Pinkvilla, Jana Nayagan is betting big on Vijay’s star power, especially overseas, where rights sold for ₹75 crore—a Tamil cinema record. The Amazon deal proves Vijay’s pull is still huge, even in a cooling streaming market. Filming’s nearly done, with Vijay recently spotted shooting in Kodaikanal, rolling up in his ₹8 crore private plane. A leaked set photo of him in a cop uniform had fans shouting “Vijay Kumar is back,” calling back to his Theri days.
As Vijay gears up to swap scripts for political rallies, Jana Nayagan feels like a grand goodbye to a cinema giant. Whether that ₹275 crore is real or just buzz, one thing’s sure—Vijay’s ready to blaze out in style. Circle January 9, 2026, for Jana Nayagan’s big moment.