Hindi
Anti-piracy coalition is now AACT
MUMBAI: The anti-piracy coalition of Bollywood and Hollywood studios that was formed at this year‘s Ficci will now be known as the ‘Alliance Against Copyright Theft‘ (AACT).
Formed to create a unified voice to fight piracy, AACT has studios like Reliance Big Entertainment, Moser Baer Entertainment, UTV Motion Pictures, Eros International and the Motion Picture Dist. Association (MPDA) as its founding members.
The AACT has launched its toll-free anti-piracy hotline – 1800-103-1919 – on which one can report piracy matters in the Mumbai and Thane districts. The anti-piracy hotline will allow people in Mumbai and Thane to register their piracy complaints by calling the toll free number without revealing their identity.
Upon receiving the complaints, the team that conducts raids will be immediately notified of the unlawful conduct. This year, there has been over 100 anti-piracy raids in Mumbai alone.
Moser Baer CEO Harish Dayani says, “Piracy cannot be eradicated or reduced just by a group of people working within the film industry. The public has to be involved in the fight. With the formation of AACT, we are trying to create awareness about the damage piracy causes to us all.”
Adds MPDA managing director Rajiv Dalal, “AACT provides a platform for our industry to come together and curb piracy. The launch of this toll free number will assist our efforts as it engages consumers, retailers and other responsible citizens.”
Hindi
Dhurandhar 2 hit by YouTube leak amid record box office run
Cam-rip surfaces online but blockbuster streak continues at record pace
MUMBAI: It has been a dramatic week for Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Even as the espionage thriller smashes box office records, a piracy scare briefly threatened to steal its thunder after a full-length version surfaced on YouTube.
The leak emerged on March 30 via a channel titled “A2z movie”, which uploaded what appeared to be a cam-recorded print of the film. Clocking in at nearly three hours and 49 minutes, the footage was reportedly blurry but complete enough to spark spoilers and fan outrage online.
Soon after, users on X began flagging the issue, explicitly naming the “A2z movie” channel in their posts while tagging the film’s makers and urging swift legal action. Fans of director Aditya Dhar and lead star Ranveer Singh were particularly vocal, helping the issue gain rapid traction.
Within hours, the video was taken down, likely through a mix of platform detection systems and intervention by producers Jio Studios and B62 Studios.
Despite the leak, the film’s theatrical run remains virtually unshaken. As of March 31, the sequel has raked in an estimated Rs 872.17 crore net in India, with worldwide collections soaring to Rs 1,392.23 crore. Its Hindi opening day alone brought in Rs 102.55 crore, setting a new benchmark.
In a notable milestone, the film has matched Pushpa 2 as the fastest Indian release to cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark globally, achieving the feat in just seven days.
Interestingly, the version leaked online is believed to be an earlier cut. Midway through its theatrical run, the makers issued revised prints after eagle-eyed viewers spotted a fleeting editing error involving a cameraman’s reflection. The corrected version now plays across cinemas, adding an unusual twist to the film’s release journey.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the high-stakes sequel stars Ranveer Singh alongside Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun. The film has drawn praise for its scale and action sequences, though some critics have pointed to its intense violence and layered political themes.
For now, piracy may have made noise, but it has not slowed the juggernaut. If anything, the episode underlines the film’s cultural grip, proving that even a leak cannot derail a box office storm already in full force.
