Naga Chaitanya was last seen in 'Thandel' alongside Sai Pallavi , which hit theatres on February 7. However, the excitement surrounding its release was dampened as the film soon fell victim to piracy. The makers conducted a press conference to address the piracy issue and announce strict legal action against those who circulated it online. However, the producer has now revealed that the press meet seems to have had unintended consequences, as more people became aware of the leak after the piracy incident.

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Producer Bunny Vas recently shared his concerns about the aftermath of their anti-piracy press meet. According to Aakashavani, he admitted that discussing the matter while the film was still running in theatres inadvertently amplified the problem. According to him, many viewers remained unaware of the pirated version until it was highlighted in the press conference, which ultimately made the leaked version go viral.

The producer acknowledged that their approach may have inadvertently fuelled interest in the leaked version rather than curbing its spread. Reflecting on the situation, Bunny Vas expressed regret over the timing of their response and the unintended boost it gave to piracy.

Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, 'Thandel' is inspired by the real-life ordeal of fisherman Chodipilli Musalayya. The film portrays his harrowing experience of mistakenly drifting into Pakistani waters and his subsequent struggle to return home.