The interface was simple—blue text on a white background, no fancy graphics, just lists. To the world, it was just a repository of compressed video files. To Aryan, it was the only way to see the latest blockbuster his town’s single-screen theater wouldn't show.

In 2008, the Indian government launched a crackdown on websites involved in online piracy. Wapking was one of the first sites to be targeted, and its domains were shut down by the authorities. The site's owners were accused of copyright infringement, and several cases were filed against them.