While individual downloaders were rarely prosecuted in 2018, the sites themselves were prime targets. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and local authorities were cracking down hard, leading to arrests of site admins, but the sites often resurfaced under new names.
: Platforms like YouTube often host officially licensed free-to-watch movies from various production houses. Okay Khatrimaza.com 2018
By 2018, the Indian government via the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) had started blocking over 500 piracy sites under the new Copyright Rules. While end-users were rarely prosecuted, ISPs started issuing warning notices. Connecting to Khatrimaza in 2018 meant willingly entering a legal gray zone. While individual downloaders were rarely prosecuted in 2018,
The Case of Khatrimaza.com (2018): A Microcosm of Online Piracy in India leading to arrests of site admins