KOCHI: While films strive to enter the Rs 100-crore club and break records, piracy continues to undermine the hard work put in by all who were involved in its making. Illegal reproductions of new releases continue to appear on specific websites and social media platforms within days of release.
At times, the hunt for the pirates has yielded results, as happened recently when a Madurai native was arrested for pirating the newly-released Malayalam comedy Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil.
“Our preliminary investigation indicates he was hired by a gang to record the movie, and was to be paid upon completing the task, said Jayakumar, the investigation officer.
Explaining the modus operandi, Jayakumar said, “The piracy gang provides the tickets to individuals who are tasked with recording the film inside the theatre. The person booking the ticket and the one attending the screening would be different. They typically book the tickets through online platforms like Paytm’s Ticket New.
The seats would be in the recliner section, in the extreme back row, which is more expensive. They often book three to five seats for just one or two individuals to ensure a rush-free and safe operation. Once the preparations are in place, they mount 4K quality mobile phones on cup holders of the recliner seats to record the film discreetly and to ensure better video stability.
After the show, the assigned individuals share the video with the gang via a specific link. The gang then uploads the videos on their websites and social media platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram.”
He said the Madurai native claimed he joined the gang after pursuing an advertisement on social media seeking photographers. “He claimed he was unaware of their exact work until joining, but agreed due to the enticing payment,” Jayakumar said, adding, “We have seized his mobile phone and are investigating further to gather more digital evidence,” he said.
Kochi Police Commissioner S Syamsundar said, “The arrested individual is linked to the infamous piracy gang Tamilrockers. We are gathering more details and digital evidence.”
He said instead of monitoring each movie screening, they can only act based on the complaints they receive. “Theatre owners and organisations related to the film industry should also remain vigilant against such piracies,” he said.
Malayalam film producer Siyad Koker praised the police action in arresting the person involved in piracy. “Film piracy is detrimental to the entire industry, particularly producers and theatre owners. We are prepared to go to any length to get those involved in piracy apprehended,” he said. Siyad said they are willing to take the issue to the ministerial level to end the harmful practice.