iBomma aftermath

hema singuluri I hyderabad

Following the arrest of the founder of the popular piracy website iBomma in Hyderabad, social media has erupted with young users voicing mixed reactions. While most condemn piracy, many also insist that the powers that be must make movie tickets more affordable. Ajay, a 26-year-old corporate employee and former iBomma user, says, “People do not want to spend money for every film and thus succumb to pirated stuff.”

Theatres today are at a crossroads as moviegoers’ preferences evolve with technology and on-demand access. With ticket prices soaring and OTT subscriptions becoming increasingly unaffordable, many viewers are turning to illegal streaming sites.

Lamenting the loss faced by creators, Vishalini G, a 25-year-old freelance editor, says, “Making a movie takes a lot of creative effort, and seeing the work pop up on piracy sites is heartbreaking.”

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has warned people to stay away from such apps. The police revealed that over 21,000 pirated films and data of nearly 5 million users were recovered, along with devices, cheque books, debit cards, and ₹3 crore frozen across multiple bank accounts. Tollywood alone suffered losses of about ₹3,700 crore in 2024, with iBomma being a major contributor. Across India, the estimated impact of piracy is pegged at ₹22,400 crore, further compounded by user data leaking onto the dark web.

Beyond financial damage, police warn that engaging with piracy websites exposes users to legal penalties, fraud, malware attacks, and long-term data exploitation. Piracy weakens crucial revenue streams—ticket sales, licensing deals, and home entertainment—posing particular challenges for regional industries like Telugu cinema.

While the police and film industry view the arrest as a necessary step to protect both art and public safety, a frustrated section of the youth argues that unless ticket prices become more accessible, piracy will continue to tempt audiences.