Release of Jana Nayagan with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday sent cinema attendance soaring across State, especially among women. Reports show a big uptick in female viewers at 'first day' shows,a trend cinema owners are eager to highlight.
In big cities like Madurai,Coimbatore, and Tiruchi,cinemas and multiplexes saw healthy crowds. While larger venues buzzed, smaller screens had moderate turnout, around 40% to 50%. By Friday, Chennai cinemas reported 70% to 75% occupancy,with some multiplexes hitting full capacity .
“On day one,TVK cadre booked tickets. A lot of women cadre came too,” said S. Jegan Agilan, Managing Partner of Jagan Cinemas in Ramanathapuram . He noted women usually attend Vijay's films, but turnout was notably high this time.
M . Manoj Kumar, Managing Director of Ganesh Cinemas in Melur, agreed,saying,“All four screens are showing Jana Nayagan this weekend . We've got a mixed crowd of families and young women, with slight increase in female moviegoers.”
Despite film's piracy before release, Udeep Reddy,Managing Director of Mayajaal, praised its strong opening, running on all 16 screens. “For a pirated film that many fans already watched,it opened very well,” he said.
But excitement wasn't without controversy. Social media buzzed about inflated ticket prices. Two cinema owners clarified most tickets are sold online at fixed rates. “We don’t know who buys tickets online . Anyone with valid ticket gets in,” one owner explained, distancing from black market sales.
In Tiruchi, demand sent black market prices soaring, with tickets going for ₹500+. A local parent complained, “My son wanted to see it today,but tickets were ₹500, so I refused. We'll wait for TV or OTT.”
To ensure fair access,major Tiruchi cinemas avoided bulk bookings for fan clubs,aiming to give everyone a chance. “We kept an online system for ₹190 per ticket. We want everyone to watch,” said an official from LA Cinemas.
In Madurai region,police boosted presence around cinemas screening the film,reflecting the buzz and potential crowd issues. With such enthusiasm, cinema owners are hopeful for strong attendance to continue.
