With CM Vijay starrer ‘Jana Nayagan’ all set for its theatrical release on July 23, director H Vinoth has addressed one of the biggest controversies that surrounded the film during production. Rumours had claimed that scenes for the film were secretly shot during an event in Karur using multiple cameras, leading to widespread speculation on social media. Responding to the allegations for the first time, H. Vinoth firmly denied the claims and said the truth could have been established with a simple verification.

H Vinoth says facts would have exposed the rumours

Speaking in an interview with Behindwoods, H Vinoth revealed that he was advised not to react immediately as it would only fuel the controversy. “They shared those claims with me too. I asked if I should respond, but they advised me not to because it would only become a bigger issue,” he said.The filmmaker then questioned the basis of the allegations. “I just want to ask one simple question. At that time, was I in Chennai, Bengaluru, or Karur? For the police, it would take only 15–20 minutes to verify my location. Even if it takes journalists 15 hours, they can still find out through CCTV footage and mobile phone records. If they had actually checked those things, they would have easily found the truth,” he added.

Director says the accusations deeply affected his family

When asked whether his assistants could have been present at the location instead, Vinoth dismissed the suggestion and said the allegations would have collapsed if there had been any evidence. “If the film had actually been leaked and those scenes were really there, the people who made those accusations could have simply apologized,” he said.The director also spoke about the personal impact of the controversy, revealing, “What hurt me the most was that some people even went to my wife and asked, ‘Did your husband really do this?’ In a country as large as ours, there are far more important issues that deserve attention. It is disappointing that so much focus was given to this matter.”

‘Jana Nayagan’ heads to theatres amid huge expectations

With the rumours addressed and the film finally ready for release, the spotlight has now shifted back to ‘Jana Nayagan’ itself. The film is H Vinoth’s maiden collaboration with Vijay and is touted to be the actor’s last film before he gets into full-time politics. Despite several hurdles like delays in certification and piracy issues, the action drama has created massive anticipation amongst the fans, with a star-studded cast.