BOMBAY HIGH COURT GRANTS DYNAMIC INJUNCTION TO PROTECT RAMANAYA AHEAD OF NOVEMBER 5 RELEASE

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday granted an ad-interim injunction restraining unidentified entities and digital platforms from unauthorised recording, hosting, or streaming of the film Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, which is slated for worldwide theatrical release on November 5.

The order was passed in a suit filed by Godpower Media Private Limited, which holds the film's copyright and exploitation rights across India and overseas territories. Justice Madhav Jamdar noted that the plaintiff had a "real and well-founded apprehension" that the film or parts of it would be recorded and uploaded to various platforms despite strict non-disclosure obligations during invite-only preview screenings.

Godpower submitted that despite strict non-disclosure obligations during invite-only preview screenings, two of the film's trailers had been surreptitiously recorded and disseminated on digital networks. The court directed internet service providers and social media intermediaries to immediately and dynamically block and take down offending links and mirror sites upon written notice from Godpower. The reliefs granted encompass a dynamic injunction restraining rogue "John Doe" entities from unauthorisedly disseminating the film.

About 34 companies appear as respondents in the suit, mainly intermediaries. An advocate representing Google LLC and global social media intermediaries said they had no objection to the directions and assured prompt action upon notification of offending links.

The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on December 16, and the ad-interim protections will operate until then. Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra under DNEG and Prime Focus Studios. The two-part cinematic epic features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. The first part was produced at a cost of approximately ₹2,000 crore, with the combined two-part budget stated at around ₹4,000 crore.

The interim injunction represents a significant step by the judiciary to protect high-budget film productions from piracy threats in the digital era, where content can be surreptitiously recorded and circulated online even ahead of official releases.