Rajkumar Theatres Pvt. Ltd. secures interim injunction from Madras High Court in ‘Drishyam 3’ Telugu rights Dispute
Madras High Court orders injunction on OTT release of ‘Drishyam 3’ in Telugu
Rajkumar Theatres Pvt. Ltd., led by Sripriya Sethupathy and Rajkumar Sethupathy, the absolute owner of the exclusive Telugu rights of the film ‘Drishyam 3’, recently initiated legal proceedings to protect its intellectual property rights.
The company filed a suit before the Madras High Court asserting its exclusive ownership of the Telugu rights of the Malayalam feature film ‘Drishyam 3’, starring Mohanlal, Meena and others, and directed by Jeethu Joseph.
The suit sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants – M.J. Antony of Aashirvad Cinemas, Director Jeethu Joseph, Panorama Studio, and Pen Studios, along with their agents, employees, assignees and licensees – from infringing Rajkumar Theatres Pvt. Ltd.’s exclusive copyright by remaking, producing, dubbing, releasing, distributing or otherwise exploiting ‘Drishyam 3’ in the Telugu language anywhere in the world.
The matter was initially heard by the Madras High Court last month. Upon hearing the submissions advanced on behalf of the plaintiff by Senior Counsel K. Ravi, the Court issued notices to all the respondents.
In a significant subsequent development, the Madras High Court has now granted an interim injunction restraining the respondents as well as their servants, agents, employees, assignees, licensees and all persons claiming under or through them, from releasing or exploiting the Telugu dubbed version of the motion picture ‘Drishyam 3’ on OTT platforms, pending further orders in the suit.
Rajkumar Theatres Pvt. Ltd. reiterates that, in view of the pending proceedings and the interim injunction granted by the Hon’ble Madras High Court, any person, entity, producer, distributor, exhibitor, OTT platform, financier or third party entering into any arrangement, agreement, assignment, licence or commercial understanding concerning the Telugu remake rights and/or Telugu exploitation rights of ‘Drishyam 3’ shall do so entirely at their own risk and subject to the final outcome of the proceedings pending before the Hon’ble Court.