Pongal Race: ‘Parasakthi’ vs ‘Jananayagan’ Direct Clash

A massive clash is brewing in the Tamil film industry for the 2026 Pongal festival. It has been officially announced that actor Sivakarthikeyan’s film ‘Parasakthi’ will be released on January 10.

While originally scheduled for January 14, the film’s release has been moved up. The primary reason for this shift is seen as the release of Thalapathy Vijay’s film ‘Jananayagan’ on January 9.

The simultaneous release of films featuring a top superstar like Vijay and a rising star like Sivakarthikeyan has created immense anticipation among fans.

Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’ (January 10)

Directed by Sudha Kongara, this film is a historical political drama centered around the 1965 anti-Hindi protests.

Director: Sudha Kongara

Music: G.V. Prakash Kumar (His 100th film)

Lead Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Sreeleela, Jayam Ravi (as the antagonist), and Atharvaa.

Initially announced for January 14, the date was moved to January 10 following requests from distributors to optimize theater allocations and box office collections.

Vijay’s ‘Jananayagan’ (January 9)

This is a milestone film in Vijay’s career as it is considered his final film (Thalapathy 69). Directed by H. Vinoth, the movie is an action-packed political thriller.

Director: H. Vinoth

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Lead Cast: Vijay, Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, and Mamitha Baiju.

Expectations are sky-high as this film arrives just ahead of Vijay’s formal entry into full-time politics.

With these two major films releasing just one day apart, intense competition is expected regarding theater sharing. However, trade experts suggest that since the Pongal holidays fall consecutively, both films have a strong chance of achieving excellent box office results.