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The Delhi High Court on Friday ruled that the film ‘Doosra’ had prima facie violated the personality rights of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, though it declined to halt the ongoing theatrical screening of the project. Passing an interim order, Justice Tejas Karia directed the filmmakers to incorporate an appropriate disclaimer in the movie and furnish a bank guarantee of ₹2 crore. The court made these observations while hearing a joint lawsuit filed by Ganguly alongside Luv Films LLP, a production banner currently producing an official biopic centered on the veteran cricketer.
Interim Relief Granted as Film Avoids Theatrical Injunction
The movie, which was released in theatres on October 23, was allowed to continue its public run under conditional terms set by the court. While Ganguly and his co-plaintiffs sought an order restraining the screening, the single-judge bench decided against an outright injunction. Instead, the court adopted an interim arrangement requiring financial security and editorial clarification from the creators while the substantive legal dispute remains pending.
The legal action brought by Luv Films LLP and Ganguly contended that the unauthorized use of the cricketer’s identity in another cinematic feature compromised their upcoming production and infringed upon the sportsman’s individual rights. By directing the filmmakers to furnish a ₹2 crore bank guarantee, the bench established a safeguard for the ongoing proceedings without pulling the existing release from movie halls across the country.
Judicial Scrutiny Over Commercial Exploitation and Historical Depiction
The core of the dispute centers on the protection of personality rights, which guard public figures against the unauthorized commercial use of their name, image, likeness, and overall persona. During the hearing, the court distinguished between the factual portrayal of publicly known historical occurrences and the commercial exploitation of an individual’s private and professional identity.
In its preliminary assessment, the High Court observed that ‘Doosra’ was not strictly confined to depicting historical events from the sporting record. The bench noted that the defendants had prima facie exploited Ganguly’s persona and personal identity for commercial gain. This finding formed the primary basis for the court’s intervention, establishing a preliminary case of rights infringement despite the absence of a complete ban on the film’s theatrical distribution.
Legal Focus Shifts to Celebrity Identity Protections in Cinema
Justice Karia emphasized the mandatory requirement for the filmmakers to insert an appropriate disclaimer to address the portrayal of Ganguly on screen. The disclaimer is intended to resolve ambiguities surrounding the former captain’s association with the film, clarifying the nature of the project for audiences viewing it in cinemas.
The decision underscores broader legal questions confronting the Indian entertainment industry regarding the depiction of living celebrities and sports figures. By drawing a clear line between public historical documentation and commercial character exploitation, the interim order highlights the compliance standards required of content producers. The High Court clarified that its observations remain preliminary in nature, with the final determination of rights and liabilities to be settled through further hearings as the trial continues.
