The Hyderabad cyber crime police have registered cases against websites illegally uploading and streaming films soon after their release. Key sites like iBomma, Bappam, and 65 other mirror domains have come under investigation.
These cases were filed following a complaint from the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC), which stated that piracy is causing massive losses to the industry.
Piracy websites are uploading high-definition versions of both theatrical and OTT releases within hours. One recent example is the film Thandel, which suffered heavy losses after pirated copies were circulated online.
TFCC revealed that the situation worsened when piracy sites started sending legal threats to producers. One chilling message circulated on social media stated, “There is nothing more dangerous than a man who has nothing to lose.” This threat went viral and alarmed many filmmakers.
Investigating officers said these piracy networks frequently change their domain URLs and use mirror sites to avoid being tracked. Most of them operate through Cloudflare, a content delivery network that hides server identities and provides uploaders with anonymity.
Over 95% of piracy sites, including iBomma, are reportedly using Cloudflare, making it difficult for authorities to trace their physical locations.
Due to this anonymity, the cyber crime police have shifted focus to identifying and arresting the main operators behind these sites. Raids on suspected offices are underway to dismantle the piracy infrastructure.
According to the TFCC, the Telugu film industry lost around ₹3,700 crore to piracy in 2024 alone. Authorities are now determined to put an end to this ongoing digital theft.
