Piracy Strikes Again: Producers Must Act Fast, Says Rajkumar
Rajkumar emphasizes that many of the illegal servers hosting pirated content are located outside India
By : BVS Prakash
Update: 2025-02-09 05:39 GMT
With HD prints of recent Telugu releases like Game Changer and Thandel leaking online on release day, film producers and distributors are facing massive revenue losses and frustration. Producer Rajkumar warns that the issue is escalating and calls for urgent action.
“The increasing number of HD leaks is alarming—this is a wake-up call for producers. Leading filmmakers must come together and find immediate solutions to curb piracy before it gets further out of hand,” he says. Even other big movies like Pushpa: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD have reportedly suffered from selective leaks.
Rajkumar emphasizes that many of the illegal servers hosting pirated content are located outside India. “Nearly 60% of these servers are in the USA, followed by France, African nations, and Singapore. Right now, 20 to 30 agencies and individuals are working to combat piracy, but their access to law enforcement and government agencies is limited,” he explains.
Rajkumar believes that a strong, coordinated response from the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce is crucial. “If a delegation of top producers or industry representatives directly engages with Central Government agencies, officials may step in to help track down rogue sites and servers, bringing an end to this menace,” he suggests.
He stresses that stopping piracy at its source—whether in theaters, editing suites, or VFX studios—is key. “A single pen drive leak can create havoc. We need to identify the weak links and take strict action. Earlier, distributors and exhibitors were held accountable for leaks, but control over these agreements has weakened over time,” he laments.
Preventing leaked content from spreading across websites and social media is equally critical. “A single pirated link can multiply into hundreds within hours, severely damaging a film’s box office potential. With film budgets crossing hundreds of crores, every rupee matters,” he points out.
Rajkumar suggests closer collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to track and take down pirate servers. “Forensic experts can often locate a rogue server within three to four days of a leak. If we act quickly, we can catch the culprits before they cause further damage.”
He recalls past instances where producers banned certain theaters for leaking films and insists the industry must take a tougher stance once again. “We need to be firm and proactive to protect our films and the hard work that goes into making them,” he concludes.
“The increasing number of HD leaks is alarming—this is a wake-up call for producers. Leading filmmakers must come together and find immediate solutions to curb piracy before it gets further out of hand,” he says. Even other big movies like Pushpa: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD have reportedly suffered from selective leaks.
Rajkumar emphasizes that many of the illegal servers hosting pirated content are located outside India. “Nearly 60% of these servers are in the USA, followed by France, African nations, and Singapore. Right now, 20 to 30 agencies and individuals are working to combat piracy, but their access to law enforcement and government agencies is limited,” he explains.
Rajkumar believes that a strong, coordinated response from the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce is crucial. “If a delegation of top producers or industry representatives directly engages with Central Government agencies, officials may step in to help track down rogue sites and servers, bringing an end to this menace,” he suggests.
He stresses that stopping piracy at its source—whether in theaters, editing suites, or VFX studios—is key. “A single pen drive leak can create havoc. We need to identify the weak links and take strict action. Earlier, distributors and exhibitors were held accountable for leaks, but control over these agreements has weakened over time,” he laments.
Preventing leaked content from spreading across websites and social media is equally critical. “A single pirated link can multiply into hundreds within hours, severely damaging a film’s box office potential. With film budgets crossing hundreds of crores, every rupee matters,” he points out.
Rajkumar suggests closer collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to track and take down pirate servers. “Forensic experts can often locate a rogue server within three to four days of a leak. If we act quickly, we can catch the culprits before they cause further damage.”
He recalls past instances where producers banned certain theaters for leaking films and insists the industry must take a tougher stance once again. “We need to be firm and proactive to protect our films and the hard work that goes into making them,” he concludes.