Telegram is the new Palika for pirated films

A user on X tagged the makers of Brad Pitt’s latest F1 , claiming he saw four to five viewers recording the entire film inside a hall with no staff intervention. The post set off discussions between the production house and the cinema chain, pushing for stricter anti-piracy enforcement.

It’s a rare instance where in-theatre piracy was called out publicly. But in 2025, piracy isn’t just surviving – it’s thriving. And it’s not just F1 . Sikander reportedly lost ₹91 crore to piracy."As per normal practice, we alert the cinemas from where the piracy originated and urge them to review their security protocols and enforce a stricter and more vigilant standard for monitoring their cinemas to prevent such situations.

Cinemas don't intend to facilitate piracy—in a way, they are victims too—but they are in a better position to create a deterrent to this illegal practice by following some basic security hygiene measures.

We prefer to partner with them rather than penalize them, unless it's a recurring issue at the same cinema. Then we have to look at alternative options to protect our films," shares a studio source from F1.Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha raised the issue publicly, asking, “How do movies become available on Telegram the very next day? Cybersecurity has progressed so far.

We can block any video we want. So why can’t films be blocked?” Telegram channels, along with piracy websites, now offer easy access to the latest theatrical releases, OTT shows, and films. While production houses routinely seek John Doe orders and streaming platforms ramp up anti-piracy efforts, legal experts say the problem persists because “the law still needs to catch up with the technology.

”‘Piracy will not go away because there will always be some new form of technology’Ameet Naik, a senior lawyer who has been an entertainment lawyer for over two decades, says, “We’ve obtained a John Doe order for around 100 films – getting one is the safest way to stop the piracy of a film.

Websites are sent notices and copyright strikes. Producers have to get the agencies to monitor piracy through this order. It becomes more like a deterrent. I don’t think piracy will go away because there will always be some new form of technology.

Law is also catching up with technology.”Even when a channel or website is banned, another comes up within hours“For me, it’s not just free, it’s ad-free unlike most websites,” a Telegram user said. Another added, “It’s convenient. I just type the movie name and get every quality – Blu-ray, 480p, 720p, even file size options.”

Anti-piracy experts say the spike in court orders reflects the scale of the issue. During the pandemic, Telegram channels began functioning like underground OTT platforms – offering new releases, curated playlists, and watchlists.

Even when banned, they often resurface within hours, run by the same admins and followed by the same users. Still, they can be tracked. At the time of its crackdown on piracy, a legal team member of Jawan had told us, “In this case, some details were found through a simple Google search and through the anti-piracy agents hired by the production house.”A channel for every kind of new releaseTelegram has quietly become India’s underground multiplex. Where piracy once meant tech know-how or shady DVD stalls in places like Palika Bazaar, now it’s just a tap away. From Hindi blockbusters and Tamil thrillers to Malayalam arthouse gems and one weekend indie releases – there’s a channel for every kind of film. Some even go the extra mile, posting reviews, box office updates, and full Blu-ray rips within hours of release.How producers tackle piracy of contentLawyer Chandrima Mitra shares, “Producers use watermarking – they appoint anti-piracy agencies who assist with takedowns of infringing content on the internet, etc, and approach courts for John Doe injunctions When approached, state police cyber cells also assist in content takedowns”‘OTT platforms have dedicated teams taking down such channels’ Streaming services often provide HD or 4K content, which pirates can easily capture using screen recording or ripping tools. “They can take a movie on one of our streaming services in less than four seconds and upload it three seconds later,” Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, told The New York Times Netflix, Apple TV+, and Amazon are part of ACE (Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment), an antipiracy coalition in the US. Most streaming platforms did not comment on their anti-piracy measures in IndiaHow Telegram piracy works Pirates use Telegram bots like high-speed content factories that automatically upload, tag, and distribute pirated films, series, and sports streams. This allows the pirates to handle immense volumes of content No login or identity verification is required. Users get pirated content in seconds-just by typing a command  Most platforms remove infringing content and move on. Bots detect take downs and re-upload the content to new channels or servers within minutes (Source: Block X, digital content protection company)