Hyderabad: The highly-anticipated Ram Charan-Kiara Advani starrer political thriller ‘Game Changer’ has fallen prey to piracy less than a week since its theatrical release.
Earlier, it was reported that the filmmakers got an extortion call and were threatened that if the demands were not fulfilled then the film will be leaked online.
Now, a pirated version of the film was aired on a local television channel, and screenshots of the same are being circulated online.
In a post with screenshot of ‘Game Changer’ being aired on local cable channels shared by an user, producer Sreenivas Kumar wrote, “This is unacceptable. A film that was released just 4-5 days ago being telecasted on local cable channels & buses raises serious concerns. Cinema is not just about the Hero, director or producers – it’s the result of 3-4 years of hard work, dedication and the dreams of thousands of people.”
He added, “Think about the impact on distributors and exhibitors whose livelihoods depend on the success of these films. Such actions undermine their efforts and threaten the future of the film industry. It’s time for respected governments to step up and take strict action to put an end to this. Let’s all unite and stand firm to protect and ensure a better future for cinema.”
He added hashtag #SavetheCinema to his post.
Reacting strongly to piracy and leak, SKN demanded ‘strict action’ against the culprits.
This is unacceptable. A film that was released just 4-5 days ago being telecasted on local cable channels & Buses raises serious concerns. Cinema is not just about the Hero, director or producers – it’s the result of 3-4 years of hard work, dedication and the dreams of thousands… https://t.co/ukPHIpi6ko
— SKN (Sreenivasa Kumar) (@SKNonline) January 15, 2025
On Tuesday, the ‘Game Changer’ team had released a statement stating that the film became a victim of piracy on the day it hit the theatres, on January 10.
The makers alleged that a pirated version of the film was leaked online by a group of nearly 45 individuals.
The complainants further claimed that ahead of the film’s release, miscreants had threatened the producers and some team members using social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp and demanded money. The miscreants warned the filmmakers that if their demands were not fulfilled, they would leak the pirated version of the film.
When the producers didn’t give in to their demands, the miscreants leaked an HD pirated print of the film on various internet platforms, including Telegram.
The makers, led by producer Dil Raju, have lodged a complaint with the cybercrime cell, along with evidence against the 45 miscreants, and an investigation is underway.
Ram Charan’s ‘Game Changer’ has received mixed to positive reviews. So far, it has collected ₹100 crores in India.
