Digital piracy continues to be one of the biggest threats to the film industry, causing massive revenue losses despite repeated arrests of key operatives running illegal streaming and download platforms. While authorities have made notable breakthroughs in recent years, piracy remains rampant, with new domains and links surfacing within hours of a film’s theatrical release. Among Indian film industries, Tollywood has been particularly hard hit by this persistent menace.

In a renewed push to curb piracy, the Telangana Police and the Telugu film industry have stepped up coordinated efforts to dismantle organised piracy networks and ensure faster action against illegal online content. As part of this initiative, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) and the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) on Monday signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening real-time monitoring and enforcement against copyright violations.

The MoU was signed by TGCSB Director Shikha Goel and TFCC President Daggubati Suresh Babu in the presence of Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy. Both parties agreed to work jointly to counter piracy through swift technological and legal interventions.

The agreement establishes a structured framework for real-time intelligence sharing, rapid escalation of complaints, quick takedowns of pirated content, and coordinated legal action against organised piracy syndicates. Leveraging advanced technological tools, joint teams will focus on identifying and blocking pirated links by working closely with internet service providers, OTT platforms, social media companies, app stores, and other intermediaries.

Key provisions of the MoU include real-time surveillance of piracy networks, deployment of TFCC anti-piracy agents at the TGCSB Integrated Command and Control Centre, swift legal action on verified digital evidence, and the use of automated crawlers, analytics, and content identification systems.

Officials stated that regular review meetings will be held to assess progress and ensure coordinated action, especially during major film releases, marking a significant step forward in the fight against digital piracy.