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Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hyderabad AC technician held for pirating 40 Tollywood films; leaked from theatres, industry loss Rs 3,700 crore & paid in crypto
Hyderabad: Cyber crime sleuths in Hyderabad arrested an AC technician from Vanasthalipuram, on Thursday, for his alleged involvement in piracy of 40 Tollywood films. The 29-year-old accused, Jana Kiran Kumar, was arrested based on a complaint lodged by Manindra Babu, the representative of the anti-video piracy cell of the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC). The TFCC has estimated that the Telugu film industry has suffered a staggering loss of Rs 3,700 crore due to piracy. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad In his complaint, Manindra stated that the Telugu film #Single was pirated and circulated online the day it was released. "The pirated HD versions were traced to piracy platforms such as 1Tamilblasters, 5MovieZRulz, and 1TamilMV," said Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand, adding that forensic watermarking analysis indicated a leak from a threatre. The police said Jana Kiran had contacted 1TamilMV piracy group on social media and offered to be their partner to source them the needed pirated Telugu content.. "The accused used to book movie tickets online and visit theatres. Using his mobile phone hidden in shirt pocket, he recorded the movie. Later, he shared the pirated video with his handlers via Telegram," the police said. In return for sharing videos, Kiran's handlers would pay him $300-$400 per film in cryptocurrency. He converted cryptocurrency into Indian rupees using ZebPay and Coin DCX platforms. Apart from #Single, he was involved in illegally recording Pellikani Prasad, 14 Days Love, Thandel, Game On, Kismat and Rajadhani Files.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Piracy strikes again: TFCC lodges piracy plaint over leaks of 2 new films
Hyderabad: In a fresh blow to the Telugu film industry, two newly released films—HIT: The Third Case and #Single— fell victim to piracy within hours of their theatrical debut, prompting the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) to escalate the matter to Hyderabad cyber crimes police. The TFCC, through its anti-video piracy cell, alleged that high-definition pirated versions of the films were uploaded on notorious torrent sites, raising serious concerns about security lapses in the digital cinema distribution chain. The TFCC lodged a formal complaint with the cyber crimes police station in this regard. The complaint was filed by Yarra Manindra Babu, project head of TFCC's anti-video piracy cell. It details how pirated versions of both films appeared on various websites within hours of their theatrical release. HIT: The Third Case, starring Nani and directed by Sailesh Kolanu, was released on May 1, while #Single, featuring Sri Vishnu and directed by Caarthick Raju, hit theatres on May 9. An HD pirated copy of HIT: The Third Case surfaced online on the night of May 1 on platforms such as and Preliminary investigations suggest the leak may have originated from UFO Digital Cinema or one of its affiliated theatre chains. The producers had embedded advanced forensic watermarking in all digital cinema package copies to trace such leaks. Similarly, a camcorded version of #Single was found online shortly after its release, appearing on and However, the exact source of this leak remains undetermined. The TFCC emphasised the severe economic impact of piracy on the Telugu film industry, citing estimated losses of ₹3,700 crore in 2024. "Piracy not only undermines producers' investments but also endangers the livelihoods of thousands of families working in the industry," said Manindra Babu. The police registered a case under various provisions, including sections 66C and 66E of the IT Act, section 318(4) read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and sections 63 and 65 of the Copyright Act. A cyber crimes official confirmed that the TFCC has provided specific URLs hosting the pirated content and has urged prompt action to identify and prosecute the culprits. The organisation has also called for an inquiry into the possible role of digital service providers and theatre chains in the leaks. Both films are now available on OTT platforms. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
