With the much-awaited movie Jana Nayagan starring Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay set to release on July 23, Tiruppur’s knitwear industry is witnessing a sharp spike in demand for customized T-shirts bearing the film’s title and the actor-politician’s name and picture.More than 1,000 micro, small and medium garment units across the textile hub have swung into action, with thousands of workers, including a large number of women tailors, engaged in producing the merchandise since the release date was announced last week.“It is like a festival in Tiruppur. Jana Nayagan T-shirts are being printed everywhere,” said Balu, who runs a small garment manufacturing unit.Chandira Kumar, President of Sentinel Clothing, Tiruppur, said the company has already dispatched around 20,000 ‘Jana Nayagan’ T-shirts to customers across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Karnataka.“We are receiving nearly 1,000 online orders every day. The ex-factory price is around ₹500 per T-shirt, including courier charges,” Kumar told businessline.Tiruppur industry sources said ministers and functionaries of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) are among the major bulk buyers, placing large orders for distribution across districts as excitement builds for the release of Vijay’s first film after assuming office as Chief Minister.They estimate that around five lakh Jana Nayagan T-shirts will be manufactured over the next 10 days. Retail prices are expected to range between ₹200 and ₹500, depending on the fabric quality and design.Kumar expects overall production to touch around five lakh pieces within 10 days as demand continues to build ahead of the film’s release.Jana Nayagan is one of the biggest Tamil film releases of 2026 and is the last film worked on by actor Vijay before he stepped away from acting to devote himself full-time to politics.The title translates to “People’s Leader,” and the buzz also stems from the fact that the plot mirrors his own rise in politics. The film was originally expected to release during Pongal 2026, but production delays and the extensive post-production work pushed the release.Published on July 19, 2026