New Delhi, Jan. 6 -- This Pongal, Tamil Nadu's political battle will be partly playing out on cinema screens.

Vijay's Jana Nayagan and the DMK-linked Parasakthi - the two films releasing ahead of Pongal weekend - may well mark the opening salvo of Tamil Nadu's 2026 Assembly election battle.

The timing is striking. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, while actor Vijay has announced his formal political foray through Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), the party he launched last year. Legislative Assembly elections in the state are expected to be held in April-May 2026.

Jana Nayagan, which Vijay has described as his final film before fully entering politics, is scheduled for release on January 9. The film ma...