The Delhi High Court has declined to halt the theatrical release of the film ‘Doosra’ following a legal petition filed by former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly. A vacation bench presided over by Justice Dinesh Bhatt orally noted that the balance of convenience heavily favours the movie’s producers rather than the plaintiff at this immediate juncture.
Ganguly’s legal representatives had approached the court seeking an urgent injunction, arguing that the biographical sports drama violated the legendary cricketer’s personality rights and proceeded without obtaining the necessary production licenses. However, the court opted against issuing an emergency stay on the eve of the premiere, setting the matter for further procedural hearings.
Legal Arguments and Court Observations
- Court Ruling: The Delhi High Court vacation bench refused to grant an emergency stay on the scheduled release of the film ‘Doosra’.
- Balance of Convenience: The judge stated that initial legal tests heavily favored the production house given advanced theater bookings and premiere schedules.
- Personality Rights: Ganguly’s legal team argued that the movie essentially uses his life story and identity without proper licensing permissions.
- Producer Defense: Counsel for the filmmakers maintained that the project is not a biopic and that valid clearances were secured for historical footage clippings.
Background and Next Steps
The film ‘Doosra: India’s Other Freedom Struggle’ is directed by Abhinay Deo and stars actors Plabita Borthakur, Ankur Vikal, and Samidha Guru. Alongside Ganguly, production banner Luv Films LLP is listed among the plaintiffs in the ongoing lawsuit. The respondents strongly argued against the eleventh-hour legal challenge, emphasizing that advance payments and bookings across over a hundred venues had already been finalized.
Legal counsel for the filmmakers asserted that players cannot legally claim personality rights over general historical match footage, such as clippings from the iconic 2002 NatWest series. The bench has scheduled the lawsuit for continued hearings to thoroughly examine the claims and counter-claims regarding commercial rights and unauthorized depiction.
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