Anurag Kashyap hints at vested interests in 'Udta Punjab' leak

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has hinted at "vested interests" behind the onlike leak of his co-production "Udta Punjab".

The controversial film leaked online on Wednesday, two days ahead of its scheduled release in theatres. The Abhishek Chaubey directorial -- which has been in news for the makers' run-in with the censor board -- was available on torrent websites for illegal download.

Kashyap addressed his concerns over piracy and urged his fans to refrain from downloading the film until its big screen release.

"Piracy happens because of lack of access and in a world of free internet, I do not have a problem with it. My problem is that this time its a case of vested interests trying to demoralise people from fighting for their rights," Kashyap wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

"So all downloaders of 'Udta Punjab', I urge, wait till Saturday till you decide to not pay for the film, don't download and share, curb the curiosity for two more days. Thank you for reading this," he added.

He said that this time it's a "different fight, a fight against censorship".

"I have never downloaded a film on torrent, I don't know how to. Yes, occasionally I have seen downloaded films borrowed from friends and found a way to pay for them later, by buying them on DVD or Blu-ray, and when I say this, I also say that no one can stop your right to download a film," Kashyap wrote.

"This time it's a different fight. It is a fight against censorship, and if you are that audience that always downloads a film, then I won't ask you to not do that -- please do, but wait till Saturday which is the day you would normally download a film," he added.

The film, co-produced by Phanton Films and Balaji Motion Pictures, features Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh. It releases on Friday.

--IANS

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