Internet Spots Google Gemini AI Logo In Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan Trailer, Makers Remove It After Massive Trolling

Actor-politician Thalapathy Vijay’s upcoming big-budget film Jana Nayagan has landed in the middle of an unexpected controversy after eagle-eyed viewers spotted what appeared to be a Google Gemini AI watermark in its recently released trailer. The discovery has led to criticism online, with many calling it an embarrassing lapse for a film mounted on such a massive scale.

Soon after the trailer dropped, social media users pointed out a brief visual at the 00:23-second mark, where a man holding a machine gun appears on screen. In the shot, the Gemini AI logo was clearly visible at the bottom-right corner, suggesting that artificial intelligence may have been used for the visual and that the watermark was inadvertently left in during post-production.

The detail went viral, with many movie lovers expressing disappointment over what they described as a basic oversight, especially considering Vijay’s star value and the film’s reported Rs 400-crore budget.

While a section of Vijay’s loyal fanbase came out in defence, arguing that the use of AI is part of evolving filmmaking techniques, a larger section of the general audience was less forgiving. Several users criticised what they perceived as an over-reliance on AI for a shot that could have been executed practically, calling it a sign of poor quality control during post-production.

The debate soon escalated, with some netizens labelling the use of AI in mainstream cinema an “insult to the art form.”

Interestingly, by Sunday morning (January 4), the Gemini logo was no longer visible in the trailer, indicating that the makers may have quietly replaced or corrected the visual. However, the damage on social media had already been done. Despite the correction, Jana Nayagan and Vijay continue to face heavy trolling online.

A Reddit user wrote, "Hate it when people try to find the easier path rather than fighting and working for it .. directors like this need their jobs taken away by AI."

"Lmao I saw it 😭 so embarrassing," commented another user.

"Didn't even use the premium version," wrote another person.

As of now, the makers have not reacted to the controversy yet.

Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan is a remake of the Telugu hit Bhagavanth Kesari, with reported narrative tweaks made to align with Vijay’s larger-than-life and politically resonant image. The film stars Pooja Hegde as the female lead, alongside Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Narain, and others in pivotal roles.

Backed by KVN Productions and featuring music composed by Anirudh Ravichander, Jana Nayagan is slated for a theatrical release on January 9, 2026, in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. All eyes are now on how the makers navigate the backlash in the days leading up to its release.