Chennai, April 11 : Ace director A R Murugadoss on Saturday joined the long list of celebrities who have condemned the footage leak of actor Vijay's last film 'Jana Nayagan', saying "it's not just a movie - it's dreams, sweat and livelihoods!"

Taking to his X timeline on Saturday, A R Murugadoss wrote, "When a film gets leaked, itâ??s not just a movie â??itâ??s dreams, sweat, and livelihoods. Please support films the right way â?? only in theatres and official platforms."

Stars, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Suriya and Chiranjeevi, and film industry professionals cutting across film industries have condemned the leaking of director H Vinoth's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'Jana Nayagan', featuring actors Vijay and Pooja Hegde in the lead.

Rajinikanth, in a tweet which he put out in Tamil on the unfortunate incident, said that he was both pained and shocked to learn of 'Jana Nayagan' being leaked on the Internet. The Superstar urged film organisations to raise their voices against this crime and appealed to the government to find out the perpetrators and punish them severely. He said such crimes mustn't recur.

Kamal Haasan, in his post on X, said, "The leak of #Jananayagan is not an accident - it is the result of systemic failure. Had due process been timely, we would not be here. Inordinate delays in certification created fertile ground for piracy. When legal access is stalled, illegitimate channels take over."

He went on to say, "Piracy is beyond politics; it is an attack on the art and artist itself. It endangers the work of hundreds of artists and technicians, and the investments of honest tax paying producers, exhibitors and theatre owners, all who sustain the cinema we love."

Asking, "Who protects the creator when the system fails?", Kamal Haasan said, "We need accountability, swift certification, strict enforcement, and real-time takedowns. I trust true lovers of cinema will unite and give a befitting response by watching the film legally in theatres, as you stood with me in the past."

/IANS