Piracy has been a silent threat looming over the entertainment industry for decades now. The sad part is that even in the era where digital content flows effortlessly and there are several measures to tackle piracy, this plague isn’t slowing down. Its menace extends far beyond the loss of reverence, disrupting the broader ecosystem of the entertainment industry and leaving a big question mark on where we stand on cybersecurity.
What is piracy?
Piracy is the unlawful duplication, distribution, or utilization of copyrighted content, which encompasses music, films, software, and various types of intellectual property. It is regarded as a type of theft since it violates the rights of the original creators and can result in considerable financial harm to them.
The rise of piracy in the digital age
In 2023, a report by EY and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) indicated that 51 percent of media consumers in India obtain content through pirated sources, with streaming services accounting for the largest share at 63 percent.“The size of India’s piracy economy was Rs 22,400 crore in 2023, ranking fourth against the segment-wise revenue generated by India’s Media and Entertainment industry. Of this, Rs 13,700 crore was generated from pirated content from movie theatres, while Rs 8,700 crore was generated from OTT platforms’ content. The potential GST losses of up to Rs 4,300 crore were estimated to have been incurred,” quoted the report..Rohit Jain, Chairman of IAMAI’s Digital Entertainment Committee, added, “The rapid growth of digital entertainment in India is undeniable, with filmed entertainment expected to reach Rs 14,600 crore by 2026. However, this potential is severely threatened by rampant piracy. It is imperative for all stakeholders — government bodies, industry players, and consumers–to unite in combating this issue.”Later in 2024, Raghav Chadha, an active member of AAP and actor Parineeti Chopra’s husband, raised his voice on the matter of piracy in Rajya Sabha. He shared the clip on his social media handle with the caption – “Piracy is a significant plague that is all pervasive in the film industry and now in OTT world as well.” Sharing some statistics, he added, “The film industry is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore annually because of piracy. Online piracy saw a 62% surge during the pandemic.”“We passed the Cinematographic (Amendment) Bill, a year back but it lacks a concrete mechanism against online piracy and focuses largely on anti-cam recording in multiplexes. As we go digital with more movies being streamed on platforms, I ask the Government what is being done to curb the issue of digital piracy on OTT and whether the government has any plans to bring a dedicated legislation for the same?” he concluded.
Industry weighs in
ETimes got in touch with some actors and filmmakers and asked them to speak on the impact of piracy on the industry. They offered a closer look at the domino effect it caused. “It’s like if one production spends, there are 200-300 people that are connected with it, and everyone earns from it. It’s not that they don’t get money if there is piracy, but it becomes difficult for the production houses to bear something like this next time,” said Munawar Faruqui in his exclusive conversation with us.
He added that both the audience and the production houses will have to put some extra effort into reducing piracy and its ill effects, “So it is like everyone is at a loss if there is piracy, and you said it correctly that piracy is the sad reality, and that is why we want to make good content that travels, even if it’s good or bad, piracy should not be done, and the audience should take the responsibility for this.” “If they want to see entertainment, then they have to make some effort. At the same time, I think production houses make sure that they are making more efforts,” he concluded. Echoing the same sentiment, director Farhan P. Zamma shared, “Shooting for the promotion only requires almost 10 people. Just imagine they all want to see for free, if you say to remove the ads too, and we will see the pirated version. So how are people going to get paid, and how are they gonna get salaries? Or there will be no motivation to make anything further because until there is revenue, they will not earn anything. So nobody will invest in that business. This is very harsh because no one will get jobs.”On the other hand, actress Krystle D’souza shared her point of view on the subject, shared how it not only impacts the business but also the image of a movie. “I honestly feel, there used to be a time when box office collection meant if your film was a hit or miss, and if you didn’t get the collection, then your film would be titled as a flop film,” said the actress.
She continued, “That is sad because you know sometimes some good films didn’t make it as hits only because of piracy, only because people didn’t go to theaters to watch it, but they all wanted to watch it at home and that’s just sad for the entire crew, the entire team that put in so much of effort and energy to make a film.”
A fight against piracy – One step at a time
The bigger the movie, the more chances of piracy. Be it one of South’s biggest blockbusters, like ‘Pushpa 2’, or a controversial political biopic like ‘Emergency,’ in recent times, it has been observed that either the movie gets leaked online before the release, or a pirated version of it reaches the web. Considering all this, Aamir Khan, who gave his 2025’s highly anticipated film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, employed all the right efforts to fight piracy. “We have appointed anti-piracy teams who remove pirated links from the internet. The pay-per-view model I’m introducing, where people can watch a film for Rs 100, may help reduce piracy. It also gives some hope to creative people. It will not bring any change to the theatre chain because the experience is completely different,” he told IANS.
Conclusion
The war against piracy extends beyond legal measures. It is more about awareness, accountability, and appreciation for creative works. Industry voices emphasize that each pirated download or stream undermines not only box office sales but also the livelihoods and morale of those involved in storytelling.In the current scenario, there is a dire need for stricter regulations, anti-piracy initiatives, and innovative viewing options, along with the audience’s support. While the journey may be difficult, a collaborative effort from creators, lawmakers, and consumers can help mitigate the impact of piracy, allowing art to flourish, stories to motivate, and the industry to expand.
