Vignesh Shivan reacts to piracy of Vijay's Jana Nayagan, supports film's editor

Director Vignesh Shivan recently expressed his dismay after seeing someone watching a pirated version of Vijay's Jana Nayagan on their phone. The incident occurred while the LIK director was en route to Madurai. Reacting instinctively, he knocked the phone out of the person's hand.

In an interview with Behindwoods, Shivan remarked, "I couldn't help it. I honestly felt like breaking it right then and there. It hurts that much to see our hard work treated like that."

Shivan's frustration stemmed from more than just the momentary encounter; he suggested that the leak was a deliberate act by someone with insider access. "Someone with access did this on purpose. To us, a movie is like a god. We protect it and respect it with everything we have," he said.

He further described the piracy leak as an industry-wide crisis, saying, "The Jana Nayagan piracy leak was like death. We don't know how the industry is going to compensate for this. Fans and people should celebrate in theatres. It is Thalapathy Vijay's farewell film."

During the interview, Shivan also defended editor Pradeep E Ragav, who worked on Jana Nayagan and his own film, Love Insurance Kompany. Despite widespread speculation about the leak's source, Shivan expressed confidence in Ragav's integrity.

He said, "Editor Pradeep E Ragav, who worked on Love Insurance Kompany, was the editor of Jana Nayagan," Shivan said. "I spoke with him, but no one knows who is behind the leak. Pradeep was so dedicated. Even if he wants to send me some LIK clips, he puts a proper watermark and sends them password protected. If I open it after a few hours, it will expire. So I don't think there is any flaw on the editor's side."

Investigations reportedly traced the leak through watermark evidence, pointing to an internal lapse during the editing stage. The CBFC, accused of being the source, denied any involvement, clarifying that access to the content was password protected and that the DCP of Jana Nayagan was handed over to the producer in Mumbai on March 17 and had remained with them since.

Shivan's defence of the editor is significant, given his close working relationship with Ragav. Prominent figures from the film industry, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Suriya, condemned the leak, advocating for stricter anti-piracy measures and urging fans to watch the film through legal channels.

Jana Nayagan, anticipated as Thalapathy Vijay's final acting project before his political career, faced an online leak even before receiving clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). On April 9, high-definition clips, including a pivotal entry scene and the climax, began circulating on encrypted messaging apps and piracy websites.

The full film soon appeared on these platforms, causing significant financial damage to the Rs 500 crore project. Authorities reacted by arresting six individuals and removing nearly 300 illegal links, yet the financial repercussions remain dire.