Government Cracks Down on Online Film Piracy

The government said the Cinematograph Act, 1952 was amended through the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 to introduce specific provisions aimed at curbing film piracy.

The Central Government has intensified its efforts to combat online film piracy by strengthening legal provisions and expanding enforcement against websites, Telegram channels and other digital platforms that illegally distribute cinematograph films.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 5 August 2026, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan said the government has introduced stronger measures to tackle the unauthorised recording and online sharing of films, with a particular focus on content circulated through digital intermediaries.

Stronger legal powers to tackle piracy

The government said the Cinematograph Act, 1952 was amended through the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 to introduce specific provisions aimed at curbing film piracy. One of the key changes allows the government to take action against intermediaries that host or facilitate access to pirated content.

These provisions work alongside the Information Technology Act, 2000, which allows the appropriate government to notify intermediaries to remove or disable access to unlawful material. Under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, online platforms must act when they receive either a court order or a notice from the government or its authorised agency directing them to remove content that violates the law.

Dedicated mechanism for copyright complaints

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said it has established an institutional mechanism to receive complaints from copyright holders whose films have been illegally uploaded to the internet.

Once a complaint is verified, the ministry issues takedown notices instructing intermediaries to remove or block access to infringing content. To streamline the process, the government has authorised the Joint Secretary (Films) in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to issue these notices under both the Information Technology Rules, 2021 and the Cinematograph Act.

The ministry said this approach is intended to speed up enforcement and reduce the availability of pirated films across online platforms.

Thousands of piracy links blocked

According to the government, enforcement efforts have already led to the disabling of 7,393 URLs linked to film piracy.

The action includes 1,263 websites and 4,996 Telegram channels that were found to be distributing copyrighted films without authorisation. These measures form part of the government's broader campaign to protect intellectual property rights and support India's film industry by limiting the illegal circulation of creative content online.

The information was provided by Dr. L. Murugan in response to a question raised by Lok Sabha member Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni.