Amid Jan Nayakan controversy, understanding how leaks impact a film’s business
Jan Nayakan’s leak has once again highlighted the deep impact of piracy on the film industry, causing both financial losses and emotional stress. Despite the crackdown and arrests, the problem persists, pointing to the need for stronger security measures and greater awareness.
Last week, actor-politician Vijay’s segment Jan NayganRevealed online, including its opening and climax. Within hours, a high-definition version of the film was also circulating on online piracy platforms, while the film is still awaiting censor approval and a release date.
In the days that followed, the fallout became even more profound. Over 300 pirated links were taken down, the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing arrested six people, and yet, the film continued to travel – surprisingly, even making its way to a local cable network in Tamil Nadu before its official release.
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As blame shifted between institutions: the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) denied involvement, editors’ associations issued clarifications, and the scope of the investigation widened, the incident exposed a familiar but uncomfortable truth – in today’s film economy, a leak isn’t just a violation, it’s a business disruption.
Amidst all this, India Today spoke to experts from the entertainment industry to understand what is at stake when a film leaks.
‘Hard work goes in vain’: Industry on impact of piracy
Summarizing the emotional and economic blow caused by such incidents, business analyst and producer Girish Johar said, “It is very disappointing. All the hard work of thousands of people working on a film is ruined by a few mischievous elements, which is not acceptable.”
He further added, “I really feel that strict action should be taken, not least because this was probably Vijay’s last film. Be it any actor or film, you don’t want to lose just because there are some people who play with such threats.”
Beyond the emotions, the numbers are also staggering. According to the latest report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India loses more than Rs 22,000 crore annually due to piracy, including movies and digital content, a loss that is much higher than ticket sales.
And this impacts not only box office earnings, but also other revenues, including advertising and subscription revenues, which are massive money grabs.
But while the outrage is immediate and sustained, solutions remain slow and fragmented. Johar said, “Yes, the industry fights this menace. But more concrete steps need to be taken. Because at the end of the day, there is a certain loss of revenue from the government through taxes and box office as well.”
Where do leaks happen and how do studios try to fix bugs?
Interestingly, while Jan Naygan The leak has sparked speculation, ranging from insider breaches to authentication-stage vulnerabilities, pointing to multiple potentially weak links within the system rather than a single point of failure.
Revealing about several leaked points, Girish Johar shared that the lab where it is processed becomes a highly volatile point before the release, shooting with cameras in theaters leads to maximum piracy.
“It’s a difficult aspect to control because there are so many people involved. It has to go down to the cinema level, obviously it needs to be strict at the grassroots level. But we need to be strict in what we can control – during shooting, in post-production or even before release,” he said.
That’s where the studios come in, quietly tightening up the backend in ways audiences rarely see. Vishal Banjaria, Business Head, Nube Studios Mumbai, explains how the industry is trying to address these invisible shortcomings.
He shared how, as an organization, they follow strict protocols to ensure the security of project files. Emphasizing that leaks are often less about an oversight and more about a systemic vulnerability, he said, “We are a TPN-certified (Trusted Partner Network) studio and maintain high standards of data security. Every project is assigned a dedicated professional team to ensure proper handling and monitoring at every stage.”
The approach is layered – legal, technical and operational. All individuals working on a project are required to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and access to sensitive data and footage is limited to authorized personnel only. These measures help them maintain strong control over data and significantly reduce the risk of leaks.
And yet, even the most secure pipeline cannot completely eliminate risk, especially as content begins to move between multiple stakeholders. That’s why, Banjeria stressed, the consequences of the wave of leaks are more than obvious.
He said, “Movie leaking is a serious issue for the film and entertainment industry. When a movie is leaked online before or soon after its release, many people watch it for free instead of going to theaters or official platforms. This directly leads to huge financial losses and impacts the success of the movie. It undermines the hard work and efforts of the entire team involved in the project.”
Who is responsible and why does piracy still flourish?
Recently, the South India Film Editors Association also addressed this controversy, stating that the group never mentioned a “specific post-production” feature because multiple individuals – and agencies – were involved in the film.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Gopikrishna, President, Southern India Film Editors Association, wrote, “Southern India Film Editors Association is strongly clarifying that no particular post facilities were mentioned in our press briefing regarding the leak. Multiple people and facilities were involved and investigation is ongoing to find the culprits. Therefore, please do not believe the baseless rumours.”
Interestingly, the most surprising part of piracy is not how it happens, but why it continues to flourish even in the age of premium viewing experiences. Content has become accessible and viewers are enjoying watching HD content.
So why do they still download pirated versions?
“I think they need to be educated more because if they really love their stars, you wouldn’t want to see a low-resolution version or even a pirated version. I won’t accept anything less than that. You shouldn’t betray your own star, whom you love so much,” Johar concluded.
Even after this there is no clarity on Vijay’s release Jan Naygan.