Amid heated debates and discussions that arose in the aftermath of Vijay's Jana Nayagan being leaked online, several noted celebrities registered their angst and displeasure on the issue and rising piracy in online spheres. Among them was actor-producer Sivakarthikeyan who took to his X handle to condemn the act and urged the concerned authorities to take strict action against those who were involved in the issue.
The Parasakthi actor underlined that "every film is made with the passion, blood and sweat of hundreds of people" and requested people to avoid piracy. "Kindly wait for the theatrical release and watch it in theatres. Whoever is responsible for this must face strict action," he wrote, emphasising the need to "respect the talents", their hard work and the industry as a whole.
After a five-minute clip was leaked on Wednesday, the full film was allegedly released on pirated sites hours later. While the source of the leak is yet to be determined, it has left fans and general audiences fuming. Later, legal team of the makers of Jana Nayagan have issued a strong legal notice while confirming that scenes, and the full film, have been illegally accessed, copied, and circulated across digital platforms.
Calling the act a serious criminal offence and copyright violation, the production house warned that anyone involved in downloading, sharing, or forwarding the leaked content, via platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, X, YouTube, or torrents, will face individual legal action. The producers have already initiated proceedings against the source of the leak and stated that further action is underway against all those involved in its circulation.
Jana Nayagan was originally slated for release on January 9, but it has since been delayed for lack of censorship clearance. While the film was expected to release after the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the leak has come as yet another major setback for the actor and the team.
