Why the Government Must Mandate Anti-Piracy Protocols for Every Film

Every Friday, India’s entertainment industry comes alive with the hopes and dreams of thousands — directors, actors, musicians, technicians, and producers — who await the release of their films. But before the curtain rises in a single theatre, piracy strikes. Within hours — often minutes — illegal versions of these films flood the internet, not from local mischief-makers but from organised piracy networks, many operating out of Pakistan and other hostile territories.

This isn’t just about copyright infringement. It’s a covert war — one that threatens India’s creative economy, national security, and digital sovereignty.

Piracy: A Front for Terror and Cybercrime

Today’s piracy operations are sophisticated, transnational, and weaponised. Pirated Indian films and web series are distributed via monetised websites hosted overseas, many based in Pakistan. These sites lure Indian users with the promise of free blockbuster content while pushing spyware, adult content, and clickbait ads that install malware, steal personal data, and generate illicit revenue.

What’s alarming is where that revenue goes. Intelligence inputs indicate that funds from piracy networks are often routed to finance anti-India activities, including terrorism and digital surveillance. India’s own stories — its creative output — are being hijacked to wage a digital war against it.

A ₹22,000 Crore Blow to the Economy

The economic impact is staggering. According to a joint report by Ernst & Young (EY) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), India loses over ₹22,000 crore annually due to piracy. This includes a massive dent in Goods and Services Tax (GST), income tax, and service tax collections — vital public revenue that could otherwise fund infrastructure, education, and jobs.

Pirated content also cannibalises legitimate revenue channels such as cinema halls, over-the-top (OTT) streaming subscriptions, and licensed music platforms — all of which are part of India’s formal, tax-paying economy.

Learning from the Cable TV Revolution

India faced a similar challenge in the early 2000s with unregulated cable television. The breakthrough came in the form of the Conditional Access System (CAS), which introduced traceable, regulated content distribution. It ensured fair revenue for all stakeholders and eliminated under-reporting.

Today, cinema and digital content require a similar systemic solution — a robust digital CAS that employs watermarking, encryption, and real-time tracking.

Jobs, Exports, and Soft Power Are at Risk

India’s film industry employs lakhs and represents one of the country’s strongest cultural exports. Yet piracy undermines investor confidence and discourages global streaming platforms. Regional content creators, visual effects (VFX) studios, and thousands of freelancers suffer losses due to unpaid or diverted revenues. If left unchecked, piracy will prevent India’s creative economy from achieving its $100-billion potential.

The Way Forward: A National Content Protection Policy

It is time the Government of India recognises anti-piracy as critical infrastructure — as vital as cybersecurity and data protection. This includes:

– Mandating content protection for all theatrical and OTT releases

– Adopting artificial intelligence (AI)–driven tools — preferably made in India — for forensic watermarking

– Enabling real-time monitoring and takedown protocols

– Framing a national anti-piracy policy under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Ministry of Home Affairs

Piracy is no longer a nuisance. It’s a national threat — one that compromises revenue, security, and India’s global image. Just as we protect our borders, we must now protect our stories. Making anti-piracy compliance mandatory for all film releases is not just an industry demand — it is a national imperative.

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