Red Chillies' film Jawan battles piracy, Delhi HC takes swift action

Red Chillies Entertainment’s latest film Jawan faces piracy threats despite the recent Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 aimed at curbing piracy and reducing Rs 20,000 crore in losses. However, the Indian government's proactive measures against piracy have prompted swift action.

On September 19, Red Chillies Entertainment, in collaboration with DSK Legal, petitioned the Delhi High Court to suspend and deactivate WhatsApp groups, users, and Telegram channels involved in illegal distribution of the film. The Delhi High Court ordered Meta Platforms Inc. (WhatsApp's parent company) to shut down identified groups, both in India and abroad, and directed Telegram FZ LLC to close the identified channels. The court also compelled WhatsApp, Telegram, and mobile network operators (Airtel, Idea-Vodafone, Reliance Jio, and BSNL) to provide subscriber information for legal action.

The court cracked down on Rohit Sharma, who was selling the film copies via WhatsApp, ordering deactivation of his number, group, and social media pages. Similar actions are anticipated against other group admins. Red Chillies, represented by DSK Legal, filed a police complaint on September 13, 2023, against Sharma and others involved in illegal circulation. Police action is expected soon.

As per sources close to the development, Red Chillies has employed anti-piracy agencies to identify and report pirated copies on WhatsApp, Telegram, and social media platforms. In line with their earlier 'John Doe' suit, the Delhi High Court also directed the takedown of additional websites hosting pirated copies of the film.

While this is a reactive step Anand Desai, managing partner at DSK Legal said the answer to piracy attempts is remedy in courts and use of appropriate technology.