'Kill piracy, save cinema': Celebs stand with Vijay and KVN Productions, call for stronger anti-piracy measures

Celebrities from the film fraternity have condemned the act. Taking to social media, they called out this "cowardly attack" and requested fans to wait for the official theatrical release.

The leak of Thalapathy Vijay’s farewell film, Jana Nayagan, has sparked widespread outrage across the South Indian film fraternity. Several actors from the film fraternity have condemned the act, taking to social media to call out this "cowardly attack" and requesting fans to wait for the official theatrical release.

One of the first ones to react to this leak was Amaran star Sivakarthikeyan. He said, “Every film is made with passion, blood, and sweat. Please avoid piracy and wait for the theatrical experience."

Expressing his deep concern, megastar Chiranjeevi said, "Cinema is built on trust and the collective dreams of many. Such incidents affect all of us. Kill Piracy. Save Cinema.”

Vishal wrote, "It is truly disheartening to see the efforts of two years being thrown down the drain. I hope the movie hits the theaters soon."

Sharing a supporting message, STR said, "You've crossed bigger storms than this."

Actor Jiiva said, "If you support piracy, you're not a fan, you're part of the problem."

Director H Vinoth also took to Instagram and shared his pain. He wrote, "Every scene carries someone’s dream... please support by not sharing it."

Actress and politician Khushboo Sundar called the leak "organized theft" and a "brutal betrayal" of the film's technicians and artists.

Meanwhile, KVN Productions, through its legal counsel, issued a public notice confirming that "certain scenes have been illegally accessed and disseminated".

The leak of Thalapathy Vijay’s farewell film, Jana Nayagan, has dealt a devastating blow to its producers. Mounted on a Rs 500 crore budget, Jana Nayagan now faces a potential Rs 200 crore loss with the full-fledged leak of the movie.

After months of censorship delays and the reported refunding of Rs 120 crore in OTT and close to Rs 100 crore in distribution deals, the political thriller has transitioned from a guaranteed blockbuster to a major financial crisis for its makers. Further adding to woes is the leak, and the project’s profitability is now in serious jeopardy.