In a significant turn of events that underscores the growing menace of digital piracy, Sajid Nadiadwala’s Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (NGEPL) is reportedly in the process of filing a massive insurance claim of Rs. 91 crores for piracy-related losses incurred by their recent release, Sikandar, starring Salman Khan.
According to reports in Bollywood Hungama, the production house has initiated internal discussions around invoking its digital piracy insurance cover, following a detailed loss assessment. “An audit was commissioned to assess the extent of the leak and the resulting impact on revenue. Ernst & Young (EnY) submitted a comprehensive report that pegged the loss at approximately Rs. 91 crore,” a source close to the matter revealed.
Industry insiders suggest that the Rs. 91 crore figure was derived using a combination of comparative modeling and market benchmarking. The audit likely analyzed pre-release box office projections, theatre-wise occupancy trends, and region-wise earnings dips following the leak. Digital footprint tracing tools were also reportedly used to track the volume of illegal downloads and streams across platforms. These figures were then converted into estimated box office revenue loss using established conversion ratios. “Such audits often include a blend of data from ticketing platforms, distributor reports, and forensic tracing of piracy dissemination. The Rs. 91 crore figure wasn’t arbitrary – it is rooted in a loss of potential theatrical and digital revenue,” the source shared with Bollywood Hungama.
The audit allegedly found that pirated copies of Sikandar were being circulated on encrypted messaging platforms and unauthorized streaming sites mere hours after its theatrical release, and in some cases, even before. “This wasn’t a minor leak. The scale of circulation was unprecedented, and it had a measurable impact on the box office,” the source added.
The leak was traced to infamous piracy platforms such as Tamilrockers, Movierulz, Filmyzilla, and several Telegram groups, all of which made the full movie available for illegal download and streaming even before the film’s official release. The pirated version, believed to have originated post-censorship, included deleted and raw scenes not present in the final theatrical cut.
A source revealed about the pirated version, “The background score in many places was raw. There were several scenes that did not exist in the theatrical version – like one where medical students meet Sikandar in Dharavi, a longer flashback of Kamaruddin collapsing due to lung disease, and a sequence involving Sikandar learning about Rashmika’s character’s aspirations to become a lawyer.”
The source added, “There was also a pre-interval scene where Sikandar’s team informs him about multiple issues – Kamaruddin’s deteriorating health, Vaidehi (Kajal Aggarwal) leaving her home, and Nisha (Anjini Dhawan) being unwell – giving him stronger reason to stay in Mumbai. There’s even a deleted suicide attempt by Vaidehi and a cab sequence involving vadams that was omitted from the final cut.”
A trade source noted a peculiar discrepancy in the pirated print: “It’s not Iulia Vantur singing Lag Ja Gale – the original 1964 version is used. Also, the pirated version did not include Salman Khan singing Ajeeb Dastaan, which was later added to the final cut. These variations suggest that the leak likely happened post-CBFC clearance, indicating an insider job.”
Sikandar, a high-octane action entertainer, opened to much anticipation and collected Rs. 27.5 crores on Day 1. Despite an impressive opening weekend, the film saw sharp drops in weekdays, ultimately ending its theatrical run at Rs. 103.45 crores – a figure that proved disastrous result for the film at box office.
Another source familiar with the situation cautioned, “No formal claim has been filed yet. The discussions are ongoing, but it’s premature to say that NGEPL has officially moved to claim Rs. 91 crores. At this stage, these are internal assessments, not legal filings.”
If NGEPL does proceed, this could become one of the most substantial piracy-related insurance claims in Indian film history – bringing into spotlight the increasing role of risk management tools like cyber insurance in the business of moviemaking. “Studios are finally treating piracy as a financial risk, not just a legal or ethical concern,” said a digital distribution expert, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Sajid Nadiadwala and NGEPL have not issued any official statement yet regarding the insurance claim or the piracy audit. We tried to get in touch with the production house, however they chose not to respond.
(Also read: CBFC Certifies Salman Khan’s Sikandar And Its 3.38-Min Long Trailer On Same Day, Grand Launch Event NOT Cancelled)
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