5 min readNew DelhiJul 24, 2026 02:30 PM IST
For many actors, sharing screen space with Vijay is a dream. For television actor Anandhi Ajay, it was an opportunity she had waited a year for, only to see it disappear before audiences could witness it. A day after Jana Nayagan hit theatres, Anandhi posted an emotional video of herself in tears, revealing that her scene in the film had been cut from the final edit. The clip has since gone viral on social media, with fans offering her words of encouragement.
Anandhi Ajay breaks down after scene is removed
In the emotional video, Anandhi is seen crying as she speaks directly to her followers. Speaking in Tamil, she reveals that she had been associated with Jana Nayagan for nearly a year and was devastated to learn that her scene did not make it to the final cut.
Translated into English, Anandhi says, “I worked on this film for a year. I was so excited to share the screen with Vijay sir, but my scene has been removed.”
She also expressed sadness over missing what could have been her only opportunity to work with the superstar, as Jana Nayagan has been widely promoted as Vijay’s final film before he transitions into full-time politics.
ALSO READ: Jana Nayagan Box Office Day 1 Live Updates: Vijay’s farewell film makes 50 percent of Leo
Fans rally behind the actor
Anandhi’s heartfelt video struck a chord with social media users, many of whom flooded the comments section with messages of support.
One user wrote, “I can understand your feelings dear because I have also sailed in the same boat exactly like you , for my every film still now I will go to theatre and watch and then confirm to everyone. Saddest thing is they won’t tell use before about this scene deletion.”
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Another commented, “You will get a great lead role very soon. Everything will happen for a reason—be positive.”
A third added, “Don’t worry; you deserve more. Stay strong.”
“I’m not sure But deleted omitted scenes may come from production house Not sure but it may Let’s wait and see,” read another comment.
Who is Anandhi Ajay?
Anandhi Ajay is a familiar face in Tamil television, having appeared in popular serials including Karthigai Pengal, Yamuna, Kana Kaanum Kaalangal and Kallikattu Pallikoodam. Apart from acting, she is a trained classical dancer and a yoga enthusiast.
She has also participated in several dance reality shows, including Dance Jodi Dance 3.0, Jodi No. 1 Seasons 6 and 7, and Maanada Mayilada Season 7.
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Jana Nayagan opens to Rs 78 crore worldwide
Jana Nayagan has opened to strong box office numbers. According to trade website Sacnilk, the film earned an estimated Rs 41 crore net in India on its opening day across 13,067 shows, taking its India gross to Rs 48.27 crore. Internationally, the Vijay-starrer collected around Rs 30 crore, pushing its worldwide opening-day gross to Rs 78.27 crore.
Among the language versions, Tamil dominated with Rs 36.50 crore, while Telugu contributed Rs 2.75 crore and the Hindi version added Rs 1.75 crore. However, the film fell short of the opening-day collections of Vijay’s previous blockbusters, with Beast opening at Rs 49.30 crore and The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) collecting Rs 44 crore.
While the film has registered a strong opening at the box office, it has received largely mixed reviews from critics. In its review, The Indian Express wrote, “The deeper problem with Jana Nayagan is not any single bad decision. It is the weight of trying to be everything at once. This is a film that wants to be a women empowerment drama, a political thriller, a modern warfare spectacle, a family sentiment piece, a mass action entertainer, a campaign video, a farewell tribute, and a statement about Indian democracy.”
The review further added, “The reason it tries to be all of those things is not artistic ambition, it is the pressure that comes with making a Vijay film in 2026. When the man on screen is not just an actor but a sitting CM, the film cannot just tell a story, it has to serve the image. Every frame has to reinforce the idea that this man is larger than the screen he is standing on. So the heroism gets louder.”
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About Jana Nayagan
Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan marked Vijay’s final film before he stepped away from acting to pursue a full-time political career. The actor had announced ahead of the film’s release that he would not sign any more movies, making it his farewell to cinema. Since then, Vijay has become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, giving the film added significance among fans.
Backed by KVN Productions on a reported budget of Rs 500 crore, the action drama also stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Mamitha Baiju, with music composed by Anirudh Ravichander.
