- Bobby Deol praised Vijay's humility despite his immense popularity in Jana Nayagan
- Most of Jana Nayagan was filmed on studio sets due to Vijay's huge fan following
- Bobby Deol faced a language barrier and relied on the director for Tamil translations
Bobby Deol has opened up about working with superstar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay in Jana Nayagan. Speaking in an interview, the Animal star praised Vijay's humility despite his immense popularity and also spoke about the unmatched fan culture in South Indian cinema.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Bobby Deol said most of Jana Nayagan was filmed on studio sets because of Vijay's immense popularity. "It's a fact. No work will happen if you take him on the street. He's that big," he said.
Although the two actors did not interact extensively on set, Bobby described Vijay as "a very simple man, very quiet, very much to himself," despite his stardom. The actor also spoke about the language barrier during filming, saying he often relied on the director to explain conversations taking place in Tamil.
Reflecting on his experience working in South Indian films, including the Telugu film Daaku Maharaaj, Bobby Deol said actors in the South are revered by fans and praised the strong support they receive from audiences. "There they worship the actors. It's amazing how united they stand for the film industry," he said.
Bobby Deol recalled playing in the Celebrity Cricket League alongside actor Mohanlal, where stadiums would fill with fans arriving in buses to support their favourite stars. "That's the difference regionally and how united they stand for their actors and the film industry. He doesn't do too many promotions or interviews, but that's how he likes it," the actor added.
The star also revealed that Vijay once told him he had acted in the remake of one of his films. He was referring to Villu (2009), Vijay's Tamil remake of Bobby Deol's 1998 Hindi film Soldier. Hours before the film's theatrical release, Vijay reportedly attended a special screening at the Tagore Film Centre in Adyar, Chennai, to watch the film.
Jana Nayagan, billed as Vijay's farewell film before fully entering politics with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was initially slated for a Pongal release on January 9. However, certification delays pushed its release to July 23, when it finally hit theatres.
Directed by H Vinoth and produced by Venkat K. Narayana, Jana Nayagan stars Vijay and Bobby Deol, alongside Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.