Tiger Baby Data Theft Sparks Industry-Wide Alarm; Filmmakers Weigh In

The Bandra police arrested two individuals, including a staff member at Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s production house, Tiger Baby Films, for allegedly stealing 66 hard disks containing crucial data from films and web series. According to reports, the discs (16TB to 72TB) containing raw footage, edited scenes, archival backups and advertising data worth approximately Rs 13 lakh were offloaded on the grey market for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000.

The incident has rightly left the filmmakers feeling worried about the vulnerability of their data. Industry voices weigh in on the growing concerns around data protection in the entertainment industry and the importance of stronger safeguards.

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‘This appears to be far bigger than isolated theft’

Vikram Bhatt, who has faced a similar situation, says, “Last year, my accountant and an assistant editor stole approximately 40 hard drives from my office, wiping out and taking away extremely valuable footage and material. I filed a police complaint, but I am still waiting for any future developments. From my experience, this appears to be far bigger than isolated theft. It seems to operate like a racket. In my understanding, there are people involved at multiple levels, and I have reason to believe that even shops dealing in electrical goods and hard drives may sometimes play a role.”

Bhatt feels the risk of data theft is endemic within the industry. “Every production house is vulnerable. The problem is that nobody routinely audits old hard drives because everyone assumes they are safe somewhere. I would advise every producer to check their hard drives and inventory immediately,” he warns.

Producer-director Suneel Darshan adds, “Hard drives containing precious data need to be stored under high security. Once content is released, it requires strict vigilance.”

‘Going digital is the long-term solution, but trust remains the key factor’

Producer Shobu Yarlagadda (of Arka Media Works, which produced the Baahubali series) believes that going digital is the long-term solution. “It’s a critical and challenging issue. We need to implement industry-standard protocols such as password protection, avoiding data transfer through hard disks, using only point-to-point File Transfer Protocol systems, restricting access to storage rooms, and disabling data transfer ports on machines,” he says.

According to Yarlagadda, trust remains the key factor in protecting data. He opines, “Trust is still the most critical component. There has to be a trusted, long-term team with access to data. I have my Baahubali data and content secure, including multiple redundant backups on physical and cloud storage. We never use removable or portable hard disks.”

Producer-director Aanand Rai adds, “Data protection has always been an issue. Now, it has come to a flashpoint where it is a matter of survival. We cannot allow our sweat and blood to be trifled with. Digitalizing all data is part of the solution. Inculcating a team spirit among the  ground-level staff is more important.”

‘Multiple backup for safety’

Producer-director Rajiv Rai says he has taken extensive precautions to preserve the legacy content of his father, Gulshan Rai. He says, “I keep all my masters in three different places. One can only pray there’s no theft and that the storage facility does not catch fire. One has to protect their property, but theft can take place anywhere.”

Rai adds, “I have preserved my father’s films, including Johnny Mera Naam, Deewaar, Trishul and Tridev. Periodically, I digitize them. I still have the negatives, but today you need to preserve everything digitally on hard drives. The storage systems also need to be upgraded every six to eight years as newer hard drives enter the market. It’s an ongoing process.”

‘Cloud storage is the way forward’

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta believes the future lies in minimizing physical media altogether. “The case for minimizing physical media is now self-evident. Cloud is the way forward, and platforms like Amazon have already made it policy. I hope it becomes standard industry practice.”

He adds, “Cloud storage isn’t without risks, of course, but data privacy and breach protection are challenges worth solving, not reasons to retreat. Personally, I don’t keep any of it. I destroy it, or my producers decide what they want to do with the data. Data from the past is baggage.”
 

‘Data protection should be multi-layered’

Producer Vikram Malhotra of Abundantia Entertainment feels data protection should be multi-layered. “Data protection is a mix of virtual and physical protection. It’s not enough to physically house data-containing devices like hard drives and servers in secure places or to upload them to the cloud. Access plays a key role in data protection. Also, regular review of storage and safety protocols is a must. At Abundantia, access and movement of physical storage devices operate in a very limited manner and under a strict protocol.”