Jana Nayagan leak row: Actor Kasthuri admits to watching film, calls it '3 hour propoganda piece' for Vijay's TVK

Kasthuri Shankar admits to watching Jana Nayagan

Days after Thalapathy Vijay's highly-awaited film Jana Nayagan was leaked online, actress-politician Kasthuri Shankar has admitted to watching leaked clips from the film. The leak has caused a furore amongst the industry, especially ahead of the Tamil Nadu elections, as Vijay is set to make his political debut through his newly-formed party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Actress Kasthuri Shankar admits she watched Jana Nayagan

Actress Kasthuri Shankar admitted to watching leaked clips of Jana Nayagan and described the film as a "three-hour propaganda piece" for Vijay's political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

In a Cinema Express report, she was quoted as saying, "I have seen bits and pieces of the movie that people have forwarded to me through WhatsApp and other means. It's the talk of the town right now. I have also been learning new information about the movie, and I can tell you that if it is seen by the public, it is beneficial to the TVK, not BJP or the DMK. The parties that Vijay is blaming."

She further questioned how the Central Board of Film Certification, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, and other agencies could allow the highest quality and uncensored version to be leaked. "I hear the film is in perfect quality and the entirety of the movie is available without any censored clips or modifications."

Kasthuri Shankar accuses DMK of preventing the film's release

Kasthuri also accused Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK government of deliberately preventing the film's release as the movie focuses on Tamil Nadu politics, contrasting it with the release of a DMK-aligned film - TN 2026 - on the same day.

"It is clear that whoever leaked the movie wanted every word of their propaganda to get to the people. I accuse the state government to be behind the non-release of the film because they are directly affected. This movie is about Tamil Nadu politics and not about central leaders. Hence, the ruling party is stopping the movie from being seen by the public, especially on the day when their own propaganda movie got released."

Moreover, Kasthuri said the film might be leaked by someone who is "sympathetic to Vijay's cause". "If this movie is seen by people, it will influence them and will in turn benefit TVK. Anything else that actor Vijay or his second-rung leaders come out and say is purely optics. They are just trying to distract people from the actual perpetrators," she said.