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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Nepali films face rising piracy threat from social media

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nepali film producers are facing a growing threat from digital piracy, with pirated clips of movies appearing on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
  • While short clips were initially tolerated as promotion, longer segments and full films are now being illegally shared, forcing producers to report content to the Cyber Bureau.
  • Nepal's legal framework, including the Copyright Act 2002, is struggling to keep pace with digital piracy, leading to reactive measures like takedown notices.

Nepali filmmakers are grappling with an escalating digital piracy crisis, as pirated clips of their movies increasingly surface on social media platforms. Suman Giri, a producer of the film 'Gauthali' and the 'Chakka Panja' franchise, described the situation as a "weary reminder of human nature."

Initially, short clips from films like 'Gauthali' were shared, which producers sometimes tolerated as a form of promotion. However, the problem has escalated to longer segments, sometimes split into multiple parts, compelling production houses to report the infringements to the Cyber Bureau. Giri stated that nearly 300 clips posted on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have been taken down.

This was when we were compelled to report the materials to the Cyber Bureau. Almost 300 clips posted on social media, particularly on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, have been taken down until now.

— Suman GiriA film producer describing the escalation of piracy and the actions taken by production houses.

The Nepal Film Development Board issued a notice on July 31, 2026, urging social media users and platform operators to cease unauthorized recordings of film screenings. The board warned that such "cam-recording" violates Nepal's Copyright Act 2002 and Electronic Transactions Act 2006, and called for the removal of illegally posted content. Offenders could face fines, imprisonment, or both, along with seizure of pirated materials.

The Cyber Bureau handles digital piracy complaints, requiring evidence like URLs and metadata. SP Dilip Kumar Giri confirmed they have received complaints, particularly for the films 'Gauthali' and 'Balidan,' and have been actively removing illegally uploaded clips. However, many Nepali audiences remain unaware of the legal consequences of sharing copyrighted material, viewing pirated clips as a way to stay connected to Nepali cinema.

We have received digital piracy complaints particularly from the films ‘Gauthali’ and ‘Balidan.’ After receiving the links to the illegally uploaded movie clips, we have been taking them down from social media.

— Dilip Kumar GiriAn official from the Cyber Bureau explaining their role in combating digital piracy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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