Hindi
Pirated discs worth Rs 420 mn seized across Maharashtra and Gujarat
MUMBAI: The Hollywood-Bollywood coalition against piracy has started gaining wings.
Earlier raids against pirates were only conducted in Maharashtra, more specifically in Mumbai and suburbs. Now raids are being conducted in the interiors of Maharashtra and the neighbouring state of Gujarat.
Recently, police across Maharashtra and Gujarat conducted several raids across Mumbai, Buldana, Vadodara and Surat and uncovered 41,713 pirated discs including multiple DVD prints of recent Hollywood and Bollywood releases like Kites, Iron Man 2, Shrek 4 and Badmaash Company.
The Mumbai police conducted multiple raids across Mumbai and seized close to 8,755 pirated discs. In a raid conducted by a joint team of 12 members from the SS Branch (PI Kane) and AA Khan & Associates in Chembur, 4,500 discs were recovered from six stalls in the area. In a similar raid, the Powai Police Station seized close to 1,800 DVDs.
Commented AA Khan, “Piracy is a serious offence and one which is rampant within major parts of the city. We along with Mumbai Police are dedicated to the cause of arresting the increase of such activities. However, the job of the police is nullified since the common man goes and purchases movies from such pirates. People need to remember that besides denying the creators of the content their fair share, the proceeds from such sales fund several illegal activities including terrorism in India and abroad.”
Simultaneous raids conducted by Nallasopara and Mira Road Police stations unearthed 350 pirated discs.
In Buldana, the United Copyright Protection Association (UCPA) conducted a where the team seized 15,000 pirated DVDs, 3,000 inlay cards and one burner with nine in-built DVD writers. The material is said to be worth Rs 250 million.
The first raid in Gujarat was conducted in Vadodara by the police along with UCPA that resulted in the seizure of 14,953 pirated DVDs and 10 DVD writers worth Rs 500,000. The second raid conducted in Surat yeilded 1,960 pirated CDs and DVDs.
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.
