Shikha Goel, Director, TGCSB, and Daggubati Suresh Babu, President, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce along with others during the launch. | Photo credit: By arrangement
The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGSCB) has launched a new anti-piracy statement to be displayed before the screening of films in theaters and introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to investigate cases of film piracy as part of efforts to curb illegal recording and distribution of films.
The initiatives were launched during a stakeholder consultation meeting organized by the TGCSB in collaboration with the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce to strengthen coordination between law enforcement agencies and the film industry to tackle digital piracy.
The office’s anti-piracy unit was set up on January 5 this year to target cases of illegal recording, distribution and online circulation of films.
Shikha Goel, director, TGCSB, and Daggubati Suresh Babu, president, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, formally launched the new disclaimer and investigation protocol during the meeting.
The consultation was attended by representatives of several stakeholders including UFO Moviez, Qube Cinema, Prasad’s Digital, K Sera Sera, Sony TSR, PVR INOX, Cinepolis, Telangana Exhibitors Association, Ranga Cine Complex, Annapurna Studios, 82H Studios, Sarathi Studios and Deccan Dreams.
According to industry estimates shared during the meeting, the Telugu film industry suffers losses of nearly ₹13,700 crore annually due to piracy, while the losses of the Indian film industry are estimated at over ₹22,400 crore.
Officials said investigations into piracy cases indicate that illegal copies of movies generally come from two primary sources. These include the leakage of high-quality content prior to release at the post-production or digital service provider level, and the filming of cameras in theaters during movie screenings, which account for a large number of piracy incidents.
The standard operating procedure outlines steps for registering cases under the Copyright Act, Cinematography Act and Information Technology Act, along with procedures for gathering digital evidence, forensically examining pirated content and coordinating with digital service providers and industry stakeholders.
It also details methods for identifying the source theater by watermarking and analyzing server data, preserving electronic evidence, and measures to block infringing websites and URLs under relevant information technology rules.
The anti-piracy statement launched during the meeting will be displayed before film screenings in cinemas and included in screening packages used by digital service providers and exhibitors. The report warns viewers that unauthorized recording and distribution of films is an offense and is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹ 3 lakh or five percent of the production cost of the film.
Exhibitors have been advised to retain CCTV footage for at least one month after a film’s release and to implement theatre-specific forensic watermarking systems to help trace the origin of pirated copies.
Telangana Cyber Security Authority officials said continued cooperation between the police and industry stakeholders will be essential to curb piracy and protect the livelihood of people associated with the film sector.
Published – 16 March 2026 21:31 IST
