Kuberaa Hit Hard by Piracy, Says Producer Suniel Narang
20 July 2025 12:56 PM IST20 July 2025 12:56 PM IST
“It’s hard to put an exact figure, but the damage is very real. Piracy is a painful and inevitable reality,” he added.
Akkineni Nagarjuna, Dhanush and Rashmika Mandanna in Kuberaa movie.
Leading producer Suniel Narang has expressed deep concern over the box office losses incurred by his recent release Kuberaa, featuring Dhanush, Rashmika, attributing the dip in collections to rampant piracy. "Piracy is a growing menace and it’s rearing its ugly head again," said Suniel Narang. “We noticed a steep drop in collections from the third week onward.”
In a shocking incident, a person was caught recording the film inside a city theatre during the second week of release. He was arrested by the LB Nagar Police, and reportedly confessed to working for someone in Germany.
“It was an old case. Cops are trying to trace the larger network involved,” Narang said, highlighting the international dimension of piracy. According to industry sources, piracy may have slashed Kuberaa’s box office revenue by ₹6 to ₹7 crore.
“It’s hard to put an exact figure, but the damage is very real. Piracy is a painful and inevitable reality,” he added.
"Several recent high-budget films such as Game Changer, Thandel, Pushpa: The Rise, and Kalki 2898 AD have also suffered similar losses due to the leak of HD prints online shortly after their theatrical release. Piracy must be curtailed at any cost,” Narang emphasized.
“The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce has formed a dedicated team to combat the menace and support producers who have invested heavily in filmmaking. Piracy doesn’t just hurt theatrical revenue; it also impacts OTT deals. Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime tend to renegotiate terms if a film is leaked online. I don’t blame them,” Narang remarked.
“When HD prints leak before their scheduled OTT release, it affects their viewership. Naturally, they become cautious in their deals.”A top producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, shed light on the technical and legal complexities involved.
“Over 60% of pirate servers are located in the USA, followed by France, Africa, and Singapore. Around 20 to 30 agencies are currently working to combat piracy, but their reach is limited due to a lack of coordination with law enforcement,” he said.
He urged the central and state governments to intervene more actively.
“A delegation of top producers should approach the Central Government. Only then can we expect action against rogue servers and coordinated efforts across borders,” he concluded.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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