In a big development in the Jana Nayagan leak case, the editor of the film Pradeep E Ragav has been suspended. Even though he is not involved with the leak, the South Indian Film Editors Association (SIFEA)
recently decided to suspend him temporarily for alleged negligence.
“It has been confirmed before the association’s executive committee that film editor Mr Pradeep E. Ragav has continuously violated the laws of the Southern India Film Editor’s Association by employing non-members as assistants on all the films he works on, including Jana Nayagan. This act is against the rules of the association,” SIFEA said in a statement, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
“Furthermore, although Mr Pradeep E. Ragav is not directly responsible for the illegal release of the film Jana Nayagan on the internet, he has admitted that his negligence was the cause. If this situation continues, there is a risk that the film industry will shut down. The Southern India Film Editor’s Association has a duty to prevent such undesirable incidents from happening in the future,” the film body added.
Freelance Editor Behind Leak?
This comes days after the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing arrested three more people in connection with the case, including a freelance assistant editor. Reportedly, the freelance assistant editor was working on another film when he got unauthorised access to Jana Nayagan footage at the editing studio. It is believed that this freelancer copied the film’s footage, processed data into a complete version and shared it with others. However, it soon went viral on social media and also reached the piracy websites. A total of 9 people have been arrested in the case as of now.
When Was Jana Nayagan Leaked?
Jana Nayagan, which also marks Thalapathy Vijay’s last movie, was leaked online on April 9. After the lead, the producers of the movie initiated legal action against the source. The legal team representing the film’s production house, KVN Productions LLP, issued a public notice warning against the circulation of any leaked content, including clips, images, or full versions of the film. The team also expressed “shock and urgency” over the breach, and warned of action if leaked scenes are downloaded, shared or reposted on any digital medium.
