Ameer Sultan comments on leaked Jana Nayagan footage. (Courtesy: Luxe Jazz Cinemas, KVN Productions/ X)When Jana Nayagan surfaced on piracy platforms ahead of its theatrical release, most of Tamil cinema rallied around the film’s producers with messages of solidarity and calls to boycott pirated content. However, Tamil filmmaker and actor Ameer took a different path. He watched the leaked footage and then used his WhatsApp status to raise an objection about what he saw, triggering a controversy that quickly shifted focus from the leak itself to the director’s conduct.On his WhatsApp status, Ameer criticised the film’s portrayal of Muslims, writing: “Even in the leaked footage of Jana Nayagan, Muslims are portrayed as terrorists. Is this your politics? When will this mindset change?”The reaction that followed was swift. Social media users slammed the director for viewing and discussing content from a major film leak. The criticism was two-pronged: many took issue with the substance of his remark, while others argued that by watching and publicly commenting on pirated footage, Ameer had legitimised the very act that the rest of the industry was condemning.Also Read: ‘Have personally experienced pain and loss’: Vijay Deverakonda says Jana Nayagan leak makes him angryProminent names from across film industries had voiced their outrage. Rajinikanth said he was pained and shocked, and urged the government to treat the incident as a crime requiring strict punishment. Kamal Haasan wrote that the leak was not an accident but the result of systemic failure, adding that inordinate delays in certification had created fertile ground for piracy and that when legal access is stalled, illegitimate channels take over. Director A.R. Murugadoss wrote that a film, when leaked, is not just a movie but the dreams and livelihoods of many. Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda said the incident made him angry and recalled experiencing a similar loss early in his own career.Not his first comment on the filmThis was not the first time Ameer had weighed in on the Jana Nayagan controversy. Earlier, reacting to the delay in CBFC certification for the film, Ameer had said: “I don’t remember any instance where the CBFC said that a film must be reviewed and decided upon by the Election Commission for certification. If that is the case, we cannot deny, and must accept, that there is a significant political angle hidden in it.”That earlier remark had pointed to what he saw as institutional interference driven by political considerations, given the timing of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and Vijay’s own political entry with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The latest comment, however, was of a different nature. It shifted the conversation from the certification process to the content of the film itself.Story continues below this adAmeer calls on H Vinoth to respondAmeer did not stop at his WhatsApp status. In a subsequent media interaction, he went further, directing his challenge specifically at Jana Nayagan director H Vinoth and making clear he expected a public response. He said: “Shouldn’t the filmmaker, who is now appealing to the public not to boycott the movie, also provide a response to this specific issue? He certainly has a duty to answer it. He ought to say something to the effect of: ‘Look, my friend and brother, Ameer, has raised this pertinent question; I want to ensure that no one else misunderstands our intentions in this regard.'”Also Read: CBFC denies role in Jana Nayagan leak, says Vijay-starrer’s digital cinema package left its hands in MarchProducers warn of legal actionSeparate from Ameer’s comments, KVN Productions recently issued a statement confirming that it will initiate civil and criminal proceedings against individuals who downloaded, stored, or circulated the leaked content on platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and YouTube.Jana Nayagan, directed by H. Vinoth, remains without a theatrical release date. The film is still awaiting CBFC certification and is not expected to reach cinemas before the end of April 2026. It features Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, and Priyamani, and carries the weight of being Vijay’s final screen appearance before he devotes himself entirely to politics.Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Jana NayaganVijay