Hindi
Telangana govt & film industry set up crime unit to fight software piracy
NEW DELHI: The Telangana Intellectual Property Crime Unit (TIPCU), which has been in the planning for almost five years, is being formally launched this week in Hyderabad to create a sustained platform to bridge communication between industry stakeholders, ISPs, policy makers, enforcement agencies aided by legal and financial experts to fight software piracy.
TIPCU has been set up by the Telangana government in collaboration with the United States Trade Marks and Patents Office (USTPO), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Telugu Film Industry and the Motion Picture Distributors Association (MPDA, India).
State IT minister K T Rama Rao and United States Ambassador Richard Rahul Verma will formally launch TIPCU on 24 June at a meet followed by a discussion on the copyright enforcement model by key government officials and senior industry leaders.
TIPCU will set in motion, online content protection initiatives through proactive and stringent enforcement measures to counter online film piracy.
Rajiv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion of the Central Government which now deals with IPR issues and state IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan will also speak on the occasion. Several filmmakers are also expected to speak at the event.
TIPCU will create a watch list of pirate websites similar to the IWL (Infringing Website List) of the British PIPCU at regular intervals; evolve mechanisms to counter online film piracy; and create an industry interface for sharing of intelligence on such syndicates.
It will work on effective measures to curb flow of revenues to infringing sites; and monitor high risk (Ad-supported) websites and initiate suitable actions to choke revenues to such sites. It will bring down and block infringing links, websites, hosting and streaming sites; provide immediate relief to the film Industry without having to obtain Court orders; and systematically eradicate pirate websites and platforms illegally hosting or streaming copyright content.
It will also evolve enforcement mechanisms to align with the ever-changing digital content landscape and criminal syndicates operating therein.
Earlier on 6 May 2016, indiantelevision.com had reported about the setting up of TIPCU and the collaboration of the state IT Department with the film industry and the USTPO.
Also read:
Telangana leads fight against online piracy in partnership with film industry
http://www.indiantelevision.com/movies/hindi/telangana-leads-fight-against-online-piracy-in-partnership-with-film-industry-160506
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
