NEW DELHI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Saturday dismissed claims of the Tamil film, ‘Jana Nayagan’, being leaked from its system as “baseless and misleading”, asserting that its certification process follows a secure, access-controlled protocol. The clarification comes over the film’s alleged online leak in high-definition format, which has triggered outrage. Explaining its process, CBFC said all films submitted for certification are secured through a key delivery message (KDM) mechanism, with password-protected access strictly controlled by the producer or filmmaker. “Without a valid KDM, the content cannot be accessed or viewed,” officials said, underlining that the board does not retain independent access once the digital cinema package (DCP) is handed over. According to CBFC, the DCP of ‘Jana Nayagan’ was formally handed over to the applicant in Mumbai on March 17 with due acknowledgment and has remained with them since. The controversy follows reports that the big-budget film starring Vijay – whose party, TVK, has emerged as a player in the upcoming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu – surfaced online initially as a brief five-minute clip before its full version was reportedly leaked on piracy websites. The leaked footage included key sequences such as the title introduction and portions of the climax, raising concerns about internal security lapses within the production or distribution chain. Director H Vinoth urged audiences not to circulate the leaked content, stating that each scene represents the efforts of hundreds of people. Several industry voices echoed the appeal, calling for restraint and stricter enforcement of anti-piracy laws. The episode has led to calls for swift legal action, with fans demanding accountability and tighter safeguards.
