Delhi HC restrains websites, cable operators from showing Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Piku’

Justice Indermeet Kaur passed the interim order on the plea of the producers, saying if an ad-interim injunction is not granted irreparable damage may be caused to them.

In a relief for producers of Amitabh Bachchan-starrer, ‘Piku – Motion Se Hi Emotion’, Delhi High Court restrained websites and cable operators from streaming, broadcasting or providing online access to the film without permission.

The movie, which also stars Deepika Padukone as the titular protagonist and Irrfan Khan, is scheduled to be released on May 8.

Justice Indermeet Kaur passed the interim order on the plea of the producers, saying if an ad-interim injunction is not granted irreparable damage may be caused to them.

The court also said the plaintiff, Multi Screen Media Private Ltd (MSM), has “made out a prima facie case” for grant of interim injunction in its favour.

It also issued notice to the defendants, which include internet service providers (ISPs), cable operators and websites, seeking their responses on MSM’s plea before the next date of hearing on July 31.

It directed ISPs, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd, Bharti Airtel, Aircel Cellular, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices, to block access to the infringing websites mentioned in the plea and those that would be communicated in future.

It also said ISPs would act within 24 hours of receiving information of infringing websites from MSM, which along with Saraswati Entertainment Private Limited and Rising Sun Films Pvt Ltd, has produced the movie.

MSM, in its plea filed through TMT Law Practice, has sought protection from the court against piracy of its movie, directed by Shoojit Sircar and also starring Irrfan Khan, by the various websites and cable operators.

Advocate Abhishek Malhotra, appearing for MSM, argued that most of the collection is made in the first week of the movie’s release and that was when instances of copyright infringement and piracy of the film occured. In its plea, MSM said such activities cause huge financial loss to the producers and also sought a ‘John Doe’ order restraining even those websites which are not mentioned in the plea and may in future infringe the company’s copyright.

John Doe orders are injunctions issued against unknown persons or entities.

“The defendant websites are engaged in the business of uploading pirated and unlicensed content. Since these defendants are communicating pirated and unlicensed content, including but not limited to films, to the public, there is an apprehension that they will also communicate unlicensed copy of the film.

“Such an unauthorised communication to public of the said film will result in losses to the plaintiff as also in losses to the Government, of revenue collected through taxes, which is not recovered/recoverable from the pirate websites,” MSM said.

Source:: Indian Express