Centre Blocks 1,263 Websites, 4,996 Telegram Channels Over Film Piracy

The central government blocked 1,263 websites and 4,996 Telegram channels for distributing or facilitating the distribution of pirated movies, as part of a nationwide crackdown against digital piracy.

The action was announced by Union Minister for Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw in a letter to Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, who has sought stronger measures to curb online movie piracy. This edition has been carried out under the provisions of the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023, which strengthens the legal framework against online piracy and copyright infringement.

Speaking to Malayalam media, Gopi said that anti-piracy efforts have gained momentum after the South Indian Film Producers Association (SIFPA) meeting in Hyderabad. He noted that since the initiative started, only one Malayalam film, Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer I Nobody, has been released and no pirated copy of the film has surfaced so far.

In his letter, Vaishnaw said the government recognizes the serious impact of piracy on the film industry and is strengthening the legal framework to ensure authorities can act more effectively against platforms involved in copyright infringement.

He added that the ministry has established a dedicated grievance mechanism to handle complaints and developed an anti-piracy portal to coordinate complaints and facilitate faster enforcement. The minister also assured that stricter measures will be taken to curb online piracy.

Suresh Gopi had earlier urged the Center to intensify anti-piracy efforts and described piracy as one of the biggest challenges facing the Hindi film industry.