In a surprising turn of events, a devoted Hotstar subscriber, Subhankar Mondal, tweeted out his frustration upon discovering “The Storyteller” completely absent from the platform.
Despite paying his subscription dues, Mondal felt that turning to the black market was his only option to watch the film. This incident widened discussion about the reliability of streaming services and the moral question related to piracy.
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These days, most subscribers are used to watching their favourite shows without interruption. Nobody wants to see something happen where they log in and find an anticipated title has been removed from the platform for no reason or prior notice: it is annoying and nearly cheating to the customers.
But piracy, that does not seem to solve anything. It is illegal, and worse, it does nothing but demean the making of quality films and weaken the industry.
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Streaming services should concentrate more on being transparent and bringing better announcement strategies regarding content availability. Consumers, too, must verify their grievances by brewing them through legal means rather than letting that lead them to pirate sites.
Quite frankly this incident raises genuine concern; however, that revolves around service demanding and not claiming piracy to be an answer.
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Piracy is definitely not a victimless act: it is certainly decreasing the chances of content creators and the platforms trying to provide quality entertainment for us.
Supporting legal streams allows the industry to survive and develop, which is better for both the creators and the audience in the long term.
Piracy is also not a sustainable solution for the future of entertainment. It can only lead to a vicious cycle of discontent between consumers and content creators. While piracy may seem like a quick fix when streaming services like Hotstar fail to deliver, it only undermines the quality and growth of the industry.
Consumers often forget that by supporting legal streaming platforms, they ensure the creation of more high-quality content.
On the other hand, Hotstar and other streaming services should not take their users for granted. They need to prioritize transparency, proper communication regarding content availability, and work to ensure that their services are delivering as promised.
Streaming services should also increase their efforts to improve user experiences and minimize the chances of such frustrations. Ultimately, it is the viewers’ responsibility to make informed decisions and support ethical streaming options, but it is also essential for these platforms to offer more consistent and reliable content.
In conclusion, piracy versus Hotstar is not just a matter of convenience; it’s about making the right choices for the sustainability of the entertainment industry.
It’s important for consumers to understand that the fight against piracy is a collective effort and can only be successful when streaming services maintain the trust of their audiences.
Dear @DisneyPlusHS it's time to do piracy. I'm watching movies on Hotstar till date but suddenly "The Storyteller" Movie missing from Hotstar, and I found that on Pirated Site. So it's clear, Piracy better than Subscription. pic.twitter.com/BBMGv83M7W
— Subhankar Mondal (@5ubha) February 13, 2025
