‘Taandob’ Piracy: Loss for film industry people, responsibility also theirs

This Eid, superstar Shakib Khan’s film Taandob hit the theaters. Directed by Raihan Rafi, the movie boasts a stellar cast and was off to a roaring start at the box office. However, just two weeks after its release, a pirated copy of the film with a high-definition (HD) print and complete with professional-grade audio,  began circulating online, dealing a severe blow to its commercial success. How utterly devastating!  Piracy has always been a crime, but Taandob’s case crosses all limits—it’s piracy on an unprecedented scale."

Currently, piracy primarily occurs in two ways: through camera recordings in movie theaters, or by copying from OTT platforms after release. Theater recordings are typically done using mobile phones - referred to in piracy terminology as 'theater prints' or 'cam prints'. Occasionally, these illegal recordings are made using proper camera setups as well - when theater staff are complicit in the act. This is precisely why Jazz Multimedia used to display the theater name during single-screen projections - to identify which theater was responsible for the leak. The second method involves copying from OTT platforms. In piracy terms, these are called 'HD prints' or 'Blue-Ray prints' - which are usually uploaded to torrent sites or FTP servers. Additionally, there have been a few instances where copies labeled as 'censor prints' or 'festival prints' have been leaked - due to negligence by the authorities."

The piracy of 'Taandob' did not occur through any of these conventional methods. Rather, it happened in an extremely unusual way that is rarely seen in the film industry. In this case, the actual exhibition copy itself was leaked. This is not a simple matter - it is actually quite shocking and unbelievable. To properly understand this situation, some technical knowledge is required. Without examining the quality and file format of Taandob's leaked version, one cannot fully comprehend why this leaked video represents the most extreme form of piracy crime.

"Color Correction or DI (Digital Intermediate) studios typically work with DPX (Digital Picture Exchange) files - which are actually image formats, not video. DPX files store each frame as separate individual images. These files cannot be opened on regular PCs or software. From DPX, the DCP (Digital Cinema Package) is created - the international standard format for cinema theater projection. This format also only runs on projection servers, not on regular computers or media players. Typically, multiplex servers screen movies in DCP format. Simultaneously, separate format copies are made for single-screen theater servers - for instance, Jaaz Multimedia used their own proprietary server file format, which is why their films were rarely copied. These cannot be played without their specialized servers.

So what movie copies do we watch on laptops or PCs? Typically we watch .mkv or .mp4 files - which are created from .mov files originally. These file formats aren't supposed to be part of the official distribution chain. Usually, in very low-quality theaters that run movies on regular computers or laptops (what exhibitors colloquially call 'pen-drive halls'), they demand the weakest, lowest resolution copies - the .mp4 version on pen drives. Conscious distributors never want to provide movies in .mp4 format early in the release cycle. These are normally only given after the TV and OTT releases. I've handled post-production for films like 'Dhaka Attack', 'Operation Sundarban', and 'Antarjal' - I had the DPX files but never allowed creation of .mp4 or .mov files, not even for our own viewing. Even though I faced some difficulties because of this, I never provided movies on pen drives. Foreign films that come to our country have the same condition - they provide nothing beyond DCP. Some don't even want to provide DCP - they want the movie to run through cloud servers. Yet, Taandob's .mp4 got leaked - and with proper sound files intact. Shakib Khan's film 'Borbaad' also fell victim to piracy in a similar manner – though not as rapidly, and the leaked copy wasn't of comparable quality. The piracy of 'Taandob' has surpassed all previous thresholds in every aspect.

The leaked copy of Taandob was converted from DCP to .mov and then to .mp4 format - a process executed using professional software. The compression quality speaks for itself. When exporting a 10-minute HD .mp4 video from Adobe Premiere Pro, the file size typically reaches 7-8 GB. Yet Taandob's 120-minute HD print is only 2.6 GB - with crystal-clear quality. This level of efficiency is only achievable when professionally compressed from the .mov file using expert compression tools. This indicates direct involvement or negligence by someone within the industry. Such file formats should never leave the secure workflow. We must remember - the film industry isn't just actors, producers and directors. Distributors, exhibitors, even the theater staff who check tickets or guide audiences - all are vital parts of this ecosystem. This leak occurred through someone's actions - logical deduction points to distribution/exhibition chain personnel.

The three arrested individuals could reveal the complete picture if interrogated with proper focus. Why emphasize 'proper focus'? Because our current investigation asks 'Why was it leaked?' or 'How does this help the industry?' Instead, we must ask: 'Where did they obtain this copy?', 'Why was this file compressed/exported?', and 'Who did it? We must dig to the roots of Taandob's piracy. This isn't a weed that can be eliminated with pesticides - it's a poisonous tree that must be uprooted completely.

On the other hand, just as illegally leaking any version of a film constitutes piracy, similarly distributing pirated copies also falls under piracy. Therefore, creating pirated copies is a crime, and downloading, uploading, or sharing them is equally punishable under the law. All YouTube channels that uploaded these copies - whether taken down manually or removed due to YouTube copyright strikes - can be comprehensively identified. From this list, their IP addresses can be traced to easily locate the uploaders. The same method applies to tracking Telegram channel administrators - who must then be brought to justice. This will help curb the current trend where people think: 'I obtained a pirated copy, so I'll create a YouTube channel to upload it, then share the link on Telegram.' The easier this process becomes, the more devastating the damage to producers. While a pirated copy may garner thousands or millions of views, the economic losses to the film, damage to the industry, and demoralization of creators - these losses can never be compensated. Taandob is a theater-centric film - true cinema lovers will undoubtedly watch it in theaters. But this piracy has significantly hampered Taandob's commercial performance. This is equally disappointing and infuriating.

The piracy of 'Taandob' has left us deeply distressed. The HD leak with proper audio just two weeks after release is extremely saddening, disappointing, and infuriating. Therefore, we must investigate how this copy was leaked - why it was compromised in this file format, how this file format was exported - and address the problem at its root. Preventing piracy isn't easy - even major OTT platforms haven't succeeded in doing so. But the manner in which 'Taandob' was pirated is extremely alarming. However, with proper investigative focus, it's possible to trace it to the source and prevent such leaks.

The responsibility for these actions does not lie solely with producer Shahriar Shakil or production companies. The most crucial point is that they cannot do this alone unless law enforcement agencies assist them - unless the legal system gives proper importance to this matter. There may be no compensation for the losses caused by Taandob's piracy, but it is essential to learn from this damage and protect another Taandob or any other film from similar harm. This will never happen if the state remains unaware or indifferent to this issue. Eradicating piracy is critically important for protecting the film industry. It can only be achieved through a combination of: the state's responsibility, active engagement from law enforcement agencies, proper implementation of laws, awareness and integrity among film industry professionals, and audience empathy. Nothing can be achieved without all these elements working together.

Dipankar Dipon: Filmmaker