Producers of Nana Patekar starrer, Marathi film Natsamrat which was released on January 1, have filed a complaint with the BKC cyber police stations, alleging that the link of film’s authorized print was leaked when it was given to a well-known film critic and columnist for review. The film producer, Vishwas Joshi approached the Mumbai police few days ago and gave a written complaint. The Cyber police station at BKC registered FIR on Thursday against unknown persons.
Police officials said as per the preliminary investigation it appears that the film’s link was leaked through Bluetooth. “The complainant came to know about the leak a few days ago after which he approached police,” an official said adding as of now it was not clear whether the movie was leaked before or after the release.
Joshi told HT that he cannot reveal the name of the person to whom the link was given. “We do not know from where and how it was leaked. Entire details related to the film have been given to the police for investigation. We had taken all the precaution and link was completely secured with a password,” said Joshi adding that “I do not know how link was leaked. We approached the Mumbai police and they acted very fast and a case has been registered.”
The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information technology and under Indian Penal Code.
Additional commissioner of police KMM Prasanna (crime) confirmed that they have registered a case against unknown persons. “We have been conducting investigations in the case and will call all the people related to the case for investigation,” said Prasanna.
Natsamrat is a 2016 Marathi language film featuring actor Nana Patekar in the lead role. It was officially released on January 1. The film is directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and produced by Nana Patekar and Vishwas Joshi under the banner of Great Maratha Entertainment, Gajanan Chitra and Fincraft Media and Entertainment private limited.
Natsamrat was released in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana and West Bengal with nearly 1,600 shows across more than 400 screens. The film collected Rs 10 crore plus in first weekend. It collected Rs 22 crore in 10 days.
Watch: Trailer of Nana Patekar’s Natsamrat
Movies leaked in past
Manjhi: In August 2015, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and film distributor Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, approached the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) cyber police station and registered a case against unknown persons for leaking the movie Manjhi-The Mountain Man before its release. A high-definition print with a water mark ‘preview copy’ of the Ketan Mehta-directed biopic on Dashrath Manjhi, a labourer from Bihar who carved a road through a mountain with a hammer and chisel, was leaked online 10 days before its official release on August 21. No arrest could be made in the case till date.
Radhika Apte’s movie scenes: In April 2015 film director Anurag Kashyap approached Mumbai crime branch’s Cyber Crime Investigation Cell (CCIC) and complained that someone deliberately leaked a short video showing actress Radhika Apte in nude condition, which was part of director’s international project. The video that the actress had shot for the short film by Kashyap, after being leaked online was doing rounds on WhatsApp. The video clip is part of the 20-minutes film directed by the Kashyap. It was deliberately leaked with malafide intentions and was later uploaded on the internet which later went viral on Watsapp.
Dr Prakash Baba Amte: In November 2014 Samruddhi Porey, producer-director of Marathi film, Dr Prakash Baba Amte, has filed a complaint with the BKC cyber police station, stating pirated copies of the film have been put up on websites. Porey has alleged that the movie got leaked when it was submitted to the Censor board for clearance.
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