Raihan Rafi promises legal action as ‘Taandob’ falls prey to piracy

Just five days after its Eid release, Raihan Rafi's political action thriller "Taandob", starring Shakib Khan and Sabila Nur, has been illegally uploaded online in full HD quality—another major blow to the local film industry, which is already battling repeated waves of piracy.

Released in 133 theatres across Bangladesh, "Taandob" quickly captured the audience's attention with its high-octane plot, gritty tone, and surprise cameos from Afran Nisho and Siam Ahmed. But as with last Eid's "Borbaad" and "Daagi", the celebrations were short-lived. Social media platforms began leaking clips of the film from the very start. By the fifth day, a complete HD print of "Taandob" was available across Telegram channels, YouTube, and various unauthorised websites.

Photo: Collected

Despite issuing stern warnings and tightening digital surveillance, the film's producers were unable to stop the leak. "We had hired anti-piracy agencies even before release," said producer Shahriar Shakil, CEO of Alpha-i Studios. "But the reality is—within hours, our content was being illegally circulated. We've already filed legal complaints and are working with cybercrime units to track those responsible."

Director Raihan Rafi echoed the frustration. "There will be zero tolerance for those involved. We've already reported the piracy to the authorities, and our technical team is identifying the sources. Modern tech can trace these things, and we're ready to pursue every legal route."

The leak has sparked industry-wide concerns about financial loss and audience disengagement. However, Shakil remains optimistic. "Piracy has plagued even the biggest films worldwide. But our audiences know that the cinema hall experience cannot be matched by pirated screens. In fact, most of the tickets for the next few days have already been sold out."

The film features a powerful ensemble, Shakib Khan pairs up with Sabila Nur for the first time, alongside performances from Jaya Ahsan, Afzal Hossain, Shahiduzzaman Selim, FS Nayeem, Rosey Siddique, among others.

This is not the first time Shakib Khan's work has been pirated. His previous Eid release, "Borbaad", also suffered a full leak within a month of release. With "Taandob", the same misfortune struck within a week, raising alarm about the sustainability of theatrical releases in the country.

"We are urging the government and relevant authorities to treat this as a serious threat to the creative industry," said Shakil during a recent visit to cinema halls. "Pages and groups sharing pirated links are being taken down immediately, and legal steps are underway. There will be no leniency."

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