Introduction
Piracy is defined as the illegal duplication of content (subject to copyright) and selling it at lower prices. Technology has made accessing all kinds of information easier than ever. It has only made piracy more rampant in recent times. Websites like filmy4wap leak pirated movies online for free, even before they release. This has a negative effect on the box-office collection of these movies all over the world. Fewer people go to theatres and watch movies because they can easily find the movie on such websites. People now no longer feel like they have to wait for the release of the movie, and hence actively use the websites. Such practices are harmful to the filmmakers, who suffer significant losses at the box office.
The allure of such websites is that they offer free, standard-quality films from all over the world like Hollywood, Bollywood, etc. The websites are set up via multiple portals to allow the streaming and downloading of unlawful content flowing. If one server is down, they open shop at another one. Thus, only blocking such websites isn’t enough. Several ads, videos, and articles by famous media people, movie stars, directors, producers, etc have been released to urge people to stop piracy.
About ‘filmy4wap’
Filmy4wap is an unlawful HD movie download website. As is with such websites, people can easily download films immediately after the release in theatres, free of cost. Filmy4wap is a website that claims they are the only website that provides 400 MB and 1 GB movies, as opposed to the traditional 300 MB movies. This simply means that the movies they upload for download are of significantly higher quality than other websites. It can be easily accessed on a computer and mobile phone. They have released many web series and movies in Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Marathi, Bengali and even Hindi Dubbed. People simply need to click on the link and start the download process.
Filmy4wap has no claim over these copyrighted Bollywood, Hollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood, etc movies and yet they continue to supply such content. They are not restricted to just movies. Popular Indian television shows like Balveer Returns are also available for download on the website for free. Even web series from different streaming apps are available on filmy4wap, which seriously hinders the business of such apps. Filmy4wap has over 10,000 movies available for download on their website.
Movies leaked by filmy4wap website
This website is known for illegally leaking movies and shows immediately after they are released. More or less, every new Bollywood or Hollywood movie has been leaked by them. This website stealthily waits for the right time to upload the copyrighted content and then does so at 400 MB to 1 GB size. Some of the recent Bollywood movies leaked by filmy4wap include Thappad, Tanhaji, Jawaani Jaaneman, Panipat, Love Aaj Kal, Baaghi 3, Angrezi Medium and many more. Recent Hollywood movies released include Onward, Maleficent, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Ford v Ferrari, Bombshell. Little Women etc.
Legal action has been taken against this website several times for releasing movies like Happy Hardy and Heer, Darbar, Malang, Joker, Dolittle, Birds of Prey and others. Despite this, filmy4wap continues to unlawfully upload content across different domain names. Individuals can also find content from popular streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Ullu, Hulu, etc on filmy4wap for free.
Filmy4wap in India
As is in most countries, piracy is banned in India. The Indian government, specifically the Department of Telecommunications has taken active steps to block websites such as filmy4wap, 9movies, Tamilrockers, etc. Despite their best efforts, filmy4wap pops up online again with a different domain name like .com, .uk, .uz, .co, .wapkiz etc. Such constant changing has made it incredibly tough to curve the actions of such websites in India. This continued piracy has incurred losses to several filmmakers in India.
List of similar websites like filmy4wap movie download site
There are websites that function similarly to filmy4wap and are unlawful. If individuals can’t find what they are looking for at filmy4wap, they go to the following mentioned websites for the same. These include:
Pagalworld,
Moviesda,
123movies,
Bolly4u,
Isaimini
Todaypk,
Tamilrockers,
Filmywap,
Filmyzilla,
Jio Rockers,
Ssrmovies,
Mp4movies, etc.
What is the government doing to stop piracy?
The Indian government has strict laws in place to ban and prevent piracy from happening. The Department of Telecommunication is tasked with finding and shutting down unlawful piracy websites. Recently the Cinematograph Amendment Bill, 2019 was passed to make piracy laws stricter. This bill states that whoever is found recording and uploading a movie without written permission from authorities can be sentenced to jail and also fined.
What will happen if I download movies Illegally in India?
We all remember the time when the Internet was nothing but a dial-up network that took ages to connect. Television shows and DVD movies were popular pastimes. Waiting every week for a new episode or movie is somewhat nostalgic. As technology progressed, so did we and the movie habits did as well. Discovering that movies could be easily copied and leaked lead to the massive and steady rise of piracy in the country.
The initial method of pirating movies was done via CDs which contained more than one new movie and was sold at cheap prices. However, with CD/DVDs becoming obsolete and technology making our lives faster, all of us get tired of waiting so long for new content.
Torrent was a game-changer, giving you access to more than just films and music. You can watch whatever wherever you are and whenever you want to. It gave so many people the opportunity to watch their favorite shows and movies at such low prices. People indulge without giving a single thought to repercussions of such actions. Such easy access is, no doubt, liberating and fun, but is illegal nonetheless.
This is something we all know. Is it right to do it in the first place? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you got caught? What are the legal implications of piracy against residents?
Well, if the website has licensed permission to allow the free downloading of movies and series, then you don’t have to worry about being punished. However, copyright laws are strict in the country.
All residents of India are liable to The Copyright Act of 1957, which protects copyrighted content within and outside India.
There are many who advocate that individuals should be allowed to stream and download films and series online. This has led to the rise of apps like Netflix in India. Despite this, people still indulge in piracy. To understand how this works better, let’s answer the most frequently asked question-
Can I go to jail for illegally downloading a movie or series?
Yes, absolutely. The content does not belong to you legally. If you are found guilty of infringing copyright or helping in the infringement by sharing such content, you will be jailed. There are no exceptions as most copyrighted content is watermarked or has a sign of copyright. The courts will not take into consideration that you were unaware of it being illegal. If you are caught committing digital priacy, then the law states that
However, as most people do, you can get shorter jail time if you have downloaded the content for your own enjoyment and for not profiting off of it. Yes, even if you download it for your own entertainment, you will be sent to jail.
The arrest could come out of the blue. In cases of copyright, the police do not require special permission to make arrests and confiscate unauthorized content copies or files. There is no warning given beforehand. As soon as a complaint is lodged, the police will come and arrest you. The evidence of infringement usually lies in computers and is immediately seized. In fact, the police can take action by seizing property based on just suspicion of infringement as well.
It is unfortunate that relevant and potentially spectacular films such as Udta Punjab, Majhi, Paanch, Bajrangi Bhaijaan had trouble making a deep impact in box offices. This is primarily due to the fact that they were leaked online before release. In fact, some movies that could not commercially be released exist somewhere in the depths of the Internet. We all want quality and mind blowing films and series to be made, but the only way we can help in creating that is by supporting the artists legally.
The popularity of the digital world is unmatched to anything else in the world. There are many mediums and so much content out there to see and experience. The demand for new and fresh content will never cease. However, as consumers, we also have to take steps in giving the true owners the rewards they deserve. The law is actively trying to keep up with this growing network of unlawful streaming and downloading websites. Accessing content illegally makes you a criminal liable to punishment.
How can you stop piracy?
We do not recommend piracy nor we support piracy, and you shouldn’t either. Here are some ways you can help in stopping piracy in the country:
Educate people.
Let us be practical- until and unless people are aware of how wrong their actions are, no matter what actions you take, piracy will find a way to prevail. Unfortunately, pirating has become so common that it is considered normal. Take steps to prove the contrary. Make it a goal to highlight that piracy is a criminal offense. This can be done through various campaigns, social media posts, ads, etc. Put in the effort to constantly remind people of how wrong piracy is and change the norm.
Promote legal sites
An effective solution is to eliminate the need to pirate content in the first place. A major reason for people pirating is because they missed their favorite shows or movies and then want to catch up on them. Bringing in services like Netflix and Disney+ has resulted in remarkably lower rates of piracy. For a monthly or annual fee, users get access to a variety of content with high-quality, subtitles and virtually no ads. These services are designed to give you a personalized experience by recommending things you may like. Though this will not completely get rid of piracy, it will continue to help in lessening it.
Cooperate with other institutions
Content is pirated irrespective of whose content it is. In such cases, the best thing to do is team up with those who create somewhat similar content and fight piracy together. You can work together to enforce strict anti-piracy provisions on your work. You can also proactively monitor the Internet and report those websites and sources that are illegally utilizing copyrighted content. Though it is impossible to get to every source, reporting the main source will weaken the chain.
Conclusion
Piracy will never completely be gone. As long as there is content being made and charged for, pirates will actively try to profit off of it. Though it can’t be completely stopped, it can be slowed down. By being active citizens and supporting the artists we love, we can create a beautiful world of art and music beneficial to everyone.
But it is our duty to spread the word that piracy is a grave crime and people should refrain from committing such things. We should not support priacy at any cost because piracy is basically stealing others’ hard work and distributing it for free. Hence, we must recognize and appreciate the artists who work day and night to give us thrilling content. We must pay for their efforts and not steal from them. Piracy should not be encouraged at any cost. To make people more aware about the cons of priacy, first we must educate them and tell them that downloading free movies and series or even music is completely illegal.

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