July 6, 2025

Jana Kiran Kumar, a 29-year-old AC mechanic from Hyderabad, was leading a double life as a movie pirate at night. He earned over Rs 40 lakh in cryptocurrency by recording and leaking newly-released movies. His operation was brought to an end by a joint operation by the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) anti-piracy cell and cyber crime cops. Kiran's modus operandi involved selecting theatres with low occupancy to avoid detection. This case marks the first instance of a movie pirate being caught red-handed inside a theatre. During interrogation, the accused confessed to leaking at least 40 movies across different cinemas in Hyderabad. He relied on data from BookMyShow to choose theatres with fewer audiences to minimize the risk of getting caught. Kiran's arrest highlights the impact of piracy on the film industry and the importance of stringent anti-piracy measures.

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Tags: Movie piracy, Cryptocurrency, Hyderabad,