Rs 134 crore, 5 days: Vijay's Jana Nayagan is hit but not historic. His last 5 films

Vijay's last five releases have all opened strongly at the box office, making Jana Nayagan's performance all the more interesting. Despite the enormous anticipation surrounding what has been billed as the actor's final film before politics, the action drama has fallen short of the record-breaking start many expected. It has collected Rs 134.90 crore nett in India within five days of release, making it Vijay's third-biggest five-day performer behind Leo and The Greatest of All Time (GOAT), rather than his biggest. In just five days, the film's India gross collection reached Rs 157.74 crore and its worldwide gross climbed to an estimated Rs 233.24 crore.For most stars, these numbers would be exceptional. But for Vijay, whose recent films have consistently set new opening benchmarks, they tell a more measured story. While the film has received mixed reviews from critics, audiences have turned up in large numbers, though not in the overwhelming numbers that many had predicted for his farewell outing. Here's a look at how Jana Nayagan compares with the actor's last five films after their first five days in theatres.MasterReleased during the Covid-19 pandemic, Master marked Vijay's first collaboration with director Lokesh Kanagaraj. Co-starring Vijay Sethupathi, the action drama revived theatrical business following prolonged pandemic closures, earning an estimated Rs 100.70 crore India nett in its first five days alone, as per trade website Sacnilk. Considering the restrictions theatres were operating under at the time, the film's opening remains one of the strongest in Vijay's career. The film grossed over Rs 150 crore worldwide during its strong five-day opening weekend.BeastDirected by Nelson Dilipkumar, Beast revolved around a former RAW agent caught in a mall hijacking. Although the film received mixed-to-negative reviews, Vijay's star power ensured a strong opening, with the action thriller collecting approximately Rs 112.30 crore nett in India in its first five days, as per Sacnilk Even negative word of mouth did little to dent its opening momentum. The film also enjoyed a robust overseas run, helping it cross the Rs 185 crore mark worldwide in just five days. VarisuThe year 2023 was a great one for the actor after his two films performed extremely well at the box office.Vamshi Paidipally's family entertainer Varisu saw Vijay in a softer, family-centric role alongside Rashmika Mandanna. Released during the Pongal clash with Ajith Kumar's Thunivu, the film collected Rs 114.25 crore nett in India in its first five days. Despite facing direct competition, it still managed to post stronger five-day numbers than several of Vijay's other recent releases. As per Sacnilk, it also crossed the Rs 150 crore mark worldwide during the same period before emerging as a commercial success. LeoDirected by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Leo remains Vijay's biggest five-day opener. The action thriller, which also starred Sanjay Dutt, Trisha Krishnan and Arjun Sarja, benefited from massive pre-release hype and emerged as one of Tamil cinema's biggest opening successes. According to Sacnilk, its five-day India nett of Rs 264.25 crore is nearly double what Jana Nayagan has managed, underlining just how extraordinary the expectations for Vijay's final film were. The film went on to collect Rs 402.26 crore worldwide in just five days.GOATDirected by Venkat Prabhu, The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) featured Vijay in dual roles and was among the most anticipated Tamil films of 2024. Despite mixed critical reception, the film enjoyed a strong theatrical run, collecting Rs 164.30 crore nett in India in its first five days. The film also crossed the Rs 300-crore mark worldwide, as per Sacnilk.Notably, GOAT achieved a stronger five-day total despite lacking the emotional "final film" factor that has accompanied Jana Nayagan.Jana NayaganDirected by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan was expected to rewrite Vijay's box-office history, carrying the weight of being his final film before politics. Instead, its five-day performance tells a more nuanced story. While the film has comfortably outperformed Master, Beast and Varisu, it has been unable to match the opening pace of Leo or GOAT. For most stars, Rs 134.90 crore nett in five days would be an extraordinary feat. For Vijay's farewell film, however, it also raises the question of whether the box office has quite matched the unprecedented hype surrounding his last outing.That makes Jana Nayagan's box-office story less about whether it is a hit and more about whether it has lived up to the once-in-a-generation event many expected it to be. With this, the film becomes Vijay's third-biggest five-day performer, behind Leo and The Greatest of All Time (GOAT).- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Jul 28, 2026 16:44 IST