Arjun Rampal starrer Bollywood film, Daddy, has been leaked online merely hours after its release on September 8. The film is now available online for streaming and downloading, with some websites even having an HD version. However, even after this debacle, the film managed to have a decent opening at the box-office, collecting Rs. 1.25 crores on its first day.
Daddy, a crime thriller, is the biopic of Arun Gawli who was a gangster turned politician. The film has been directed by Ashim Ahluwalia and stars Arjun Rampal, Aishwarya Rajesh, Rajesh Shringarpure, Anand Ingale and Nishikant Kamat.
In recent times, piracy has been the biggest enemy of show business all over the world. The news of movies and TV shows being leaked emerge regularly, with several of them being leaked days before their official release. Time and again, this has brought the issue of cyber security into question. Major Hollywood and Bollywood movies become victims of online piracy. So do big shows like Game of Thrones and Power.
After the debacle involving "Daddy," let's take a look at 5 major movies of Hollywood and Bollywood which were affected by piracy.
Deadpool
The test footage of "Deadpool" got leaked during the 2014 San Diego Comic Con, prompting Fox to escalate production on it after watching the positive reaction of the viewers. Deadpool went on to be a major success, and Ryan Reynolds's career got a new kickstart.
The Revenant
The film that finally secured an Oscar for Leonardo di Caprio, The Revenant's screener for the Academy Awards was leaked days before its official release. A man named Kyle Moriarty was accused of leaking the movie. However, the leak didn't affect the movie's commercial success, both domestic and international.
The Hurt Locker
The premiere for "The Hurt Locker" was held at the Venice International Film Festival in 2008 whereas its theatrical release was scheduled for 2009. The movie was leaked five months before its official release, adversely affecting its box-office performance. The producers took legal action but failed to catch the culprits. However, the movie won an Oscar. So, all's well that ends well.
Udta Punjab
Arguably the most controversial mainstream movie of Bollywood, Udta Punjab was put on hold by the Censor Board for a long time. Adding to its troubles, the whole film got leaked on torrents two days ahead of its release date. The leaked video was shared extensively on social media, leading to lawsuits by the producers.
Toilet Ek Prem Katha
Akshay Kumar's most recent film, Toilet Ek Prem Katha, has been leaked online. Choreographer Remo D'Souza was the first one to notice it, following which he informed the film's producers. Akshay Kumar then urged his fans and followers on social media not to watch the pirated version.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's film, Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, is based on the life of a sharp shooter named Babu. This movie has also been leaked online days before its official release. The leak reduced business for the movie, ruining the hard work of the actors.