HYDERABAD: In a bid to tackle digital film piracy, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) and the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) on Monday entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen coordination against online copyright violations affecting the Telugu film industry.
The MoU was signed by TGCSB Director Shikha Goel and TFCC president Daggubati Suresh Babu in the presence of Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy. The agreement focuses on real-time intelligence sharing, swift enforcement and coordinated legal action against organised piracy networks, according to a release.
Officials said digital piracy has become highly time-sensitive, with pirated content often appearing within minutes of a film’s release across websites, social media platforms, messaging apps, IPTV streams and mobile applications. The MoU aims to enable faster escalation, prompt takedowns and effective prosecution.
As part of the agreement, TGCSB and TFCC will jointly monitor piracy networks, deploy TFCC anti-piracy agents at the TGCSB Integrated Command and Control Centre and fast-track legal action on verified complaints.
The partnership will also work with intermediaries, ISPs, OTT platforms, social media companies and app stores to block and remove pirated content, using tools such as automated crawlers and content identification systems.
The DGP said digital piracy had evolved into an organised cybercrime, requiring close coordination between law enforcement and industry stakeholders. Shikha Goel said even minor delays could cause significant losses to filmmakers, highlighting the need for real-time response mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Suresh Babu said the state government had taken the lead in curbing piracy, citing recent crackdowns on major syndicates. He noted that the Telugu film industry is the only one in the country with a dedicated ‘Anti-Piracy Cell’ for over 15 years, and said the MoU marked another key step in combating digital piracy.
TFCC chairman Dil Raju, Anti-Video Piracy Cell chairman Rajkumar Akella, Annapoorna Studios Executive Director Supriya Yarlagadda and senior police officers were present at the signing ceremony.