Dhruv Rathee, Kunal Kamra React as Popular YouTuber Mohak Mangal Accuses ANI Of ₹45 Lakh Extortion

In a recent YouTube video titled "Dear ANI", creator Mohak Mangal has alleged that news agency Asian News International (ANI) issued multiple copyright strikes against his channel and later demanded ₹45 lakh plus GST for their removal.

The video, which has since gained wide attention on social media, presents what Mohak claims to be a series of emails and call recordings between his team and an ANI representative.

Mohak Mangal  

The Copyright Dispute

According to Mohak, the first copyright strike was issued on May 20 for a video about a high-profile rape case in Kolkata. He says the video, originally published months earlier, used 11 seconds of ANI footage in a 16-minute commentary piece. Mohak states he believed this fell under YouTube's fair use guidelines, which allow short clips to be used for commentary and criticism.

Shortly afterward, a second strike was issued for another video titled Operation Sindoor, in which his team used nine seconds of footage showing Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a 38-minute segment. At this point, Mohak's channel was one strike away from deletion, as per YouTube's policy of terminating channels that accumulate three copyright strikes.

Alleged Pattern and Payment Demands

In his video, Mohak claims that he later discovered multiple other creators had received similar copyright strikes from ANI. He says that, according to his sources, ANI had allegedly asked some creators to pay between ₹15 lakh and ₹50 lakh to get their strikes withdrawn.

One such creator reportedly paid ₹18 lakh plus GST. Mohak's team contacted ANI through a phone number shared by another affected creator. This led to an email exchange in which ANI's representative allegedly quoted ₹45 lakh plus GST to remove the strikes and offer a one-year subscription to ANI's footage.

Mohak says ANI did not demand revenue share from the specific videos in question but instead offered a bulk settlement to retain access to the channel. He describes this as a strategy aimed at monetizing strikes by converting them into annual content subscription deals.

Breakdown of Charges

In one of the call recordings shared in the video, an ANI representative is heard breaking down the cost: ₹5 lakh per strike for eight strikes, totaling ₹40 lakh. The representative is also heard offering the option of paying ₹40 lakh for a two-year subscription or ₹30 lakh for a one-year term, allegedly as a discounted offer.

No Prior Conflict, Claims Mohak

Throughout the video, Mohak maintains that he had no prior issues with ANI and that none of his videos were intended to defame or attack the agency. He stresses that the footage used was minimal and served the purpose of visual context within larger discussions.

He also claims that similar usage of music by entities like T-Series typically results in revenue sharing or demonetization, not channel deletion threats or subscription sales.

Government Appeal and Call for Transparency

Towards the end of the video, Mohak reveals that he has sent a formal email to the Prime Minister's Office and to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, urging them to look into what he describes as a growing concern for content creators. He encourages other YouTubers who may have faced similar issues to document their interactions with ANI, including emails and call logs, and share them with authorities.

He concludes the video by asking his audience not to target individual ANI employees and to remain civil while voicing criticism. "Avoid personal attacks," he says. "If they are low, we will remain high."

Reactions from the Community

The video has sparked widespread conversation online, with several prominent YouTubers, including Dhruv Rathee, Kunal Kamra, Thugesh, and Nitish Rajput, reacting publicly to the allegations.

The controversy has also reignited discussions around the application of fair use on YouTube and the power dynamics between independent creators and large news organizations.

ANI Yet to Issue Public Statement

At the time of writing, ANI has not released an official response to the allegations raised by Mohak Mangal. The video continues to circulate widely, and Mohak has stated that he is prepared to rebuild his channel if it is taken down.