As India’s entertainment industry flourishes in the digital age, it finds itself locked in an escalating battle against online piracy, a force that continues to erode revenues and threaten the sustainability of streaming platforms. Despite significant investments in security measures and anti-piracy technologies, premium content is often leaked online within minutes of its release, showing the magnitude of the challenge.
File-sharing platforms, encrypted messaging apps, and shadowy websites serve as the conduits for illicitly distributed content, often operating beyond the reach of authorities. While entertainment industry leaders have joined forces with cybersecurity firms and law enforcement agencies in an effort to combat the problem, experts argue that a more aggressive, industry-wide approach is necessary to curb piracy effectively.
Even as streaming platforms offer increasingly affordable subscription plans, the lure of free content remains strong. “Despite reasonably priced subscriptions and even free-to-view content, piracy continues unabated,” said a producer, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “People rely on piracy out of convenience rather than necessity. Many are unaware that they are engaging in an act that is not just unethical but criminal.”
A 2023 report by Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) revealed the staggering financial toll of piracy. The Indian entertainment industry suffered an estimated loss of Rs 22,400 crore, with Rs 13,700 crore lost from movie theaters and Rs8,700 crore from over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms. The report also found that 51 percent of Indian consumers accessed content from pirated sources, with streaming accounting for 63 percent of the pirated material, followed by mobile applications.
The demographics of piracy are telling. According to the EY-IAMAI report, 76 percent of individuals who accessed pirated content were between the ages of 19 and 34. A striking 84 percent of respondents admitted they preferred not to pay for movie tickets, while 70 percent expressed no interest in subscribing to OTT platforms. The findings point to a broader mindset — one that values high-quality content but resists paying for it.
The issue is hardly new. As early as the late 2000s, a report from the Producers Guild of India estimated that piracy and counterfeiting cost the country’s media and entertainment industry around 820,000 jobs and an annual revenue loss of $4 billion. While Bollywood remains one of the most prolific film industries in the world, its revenues pale in comparison to Hollywood, bringing in just 2 percent of what its American counterpart earns.
The financial incentives for piracy are vast. Girish Johar, a producer and film business analyst, described the practice as a “nuisance” but acknowledged its profitability. “Some people pirate content just to disrupt the system, gaining notoriety within dark web communities,” he said. “But there’s also money to be made — piracy platforms profit from advertising revenue, subscriptions, and illicit file-sharing networks.” Despite extensive protective measures, content continues to surface on unauthorized platforms. “Pirates are adept at masking their tracks, making it difficult to trace their operations. This is not limited to India — it is a global problem that requires global solutions,” Johar added.
Among the most elusive piracy hubs are decentralized platforms such as Telegram and Popcorn Time. These services, often encrypted and reliant on internet freedom laws, make enforcement exceptionally difficult. “Telegram, for example, allows users to share large files within private or semi-private groups, which makes takedown requests an uphill battle,” said Santosh Bengre, Head of Online Reputation Management at Ai Plex, an anti-piracy firm. “While we have had some success in disrupting piracy channels, it remains a game of cat and mouse.”
Despite the deployment of advanced anti-piracy technologies — such as Digital Rights Management (DRM), forensic watermarking, and anti-capture tools—leaks continue to emerge. “While these tools deter piracy, they are not foolproof,” Bengre said. “Pirates exploit loopholes, using screen recording, camcorder captures in theaters, playback manipulation, and even token duplication to circumvent protections. Forensic watermarking helps trace the source of a leak, but it does not prevent piracy — it only helps identify where the breach occurred.”
Complicating matters further, many rogue websites employ offshore hosting, anonymous domain registration, and rapid server switching to evade shutdowns. Even when authorities manage to take legal action, mirror sites and alternative domains appear almost instantaneously. Some piracy sites generate revenue through digital advertising and cryptocurrency, allowing them to sustain operations despite repeated enforcement efforts.
As digital consumption continues to rise, so too does the sophistication of piracy networks. Addressing this challenge will require more than just technological innovation; it demands stronger legal frameworks, global cooperation, and a shift in consumer attitudes. While industry stakeholders continue to explore new ways to protect their content, one thing is clear: piracy remains an existential threat, and tackling it will require a relentless, unified effort.