Youtuber uploads Pushpa 2 pirated copy, makers claim Rs 50cr loss

Hyderabad: Mythri Movie Makers has filed a complaint with Hyderabad cybercrime over the piracy of latest Tollywood film Pushpa 2: The Rule, claiming a 50 crore loss. The complaint, lodged by production manager I Laxman Rao, alleged that YouTuber Harish Valaboj uploaded a pirated version of the movie on his channel, South New Movie, on Jan 4, 2025, without authorisation.
To justify the upload, Harish presented a forged exclusive license agreement on stamp paper, falsely claiming that Lyca Productions had granted him rights to stream the movie on YouTube, Laxman Rao said in his complaint. "However, Lyca Productions are not the copyright holders of the Allu Arjun starrer and the production house confirmed the document was also fake," said a cybercrime official. Suspecting forgery, the producers of the film verified with Lyca, which denied any involvement.
Initially, YouTube accepted the fraudulent agreement and reinstated the pirated video on Jan 21. "Due to the platform's lack of a proper verification system, the fake claim was processed," the official added. In response, Mythri Movie Makers filed a fresh copyright strike from their YouTube channel, and the video was permanently taken down by Jan 24. However, by then, the pirated version had already crossed 1 crore views, leading to a significant financial blow. "The unauthorised upload caused massive revenue loss," Laxman Rao stated in the complaint.
Hyderabad cybercrime officials have registered a case under the BNS and IT Act. "We are in the process of tracing the accused, and further investigation is underway," an official confirmed.