High Court of Karnataka
| Photo Credit: File photo
The High Court of Karnataka on April 11 cleared the way for Hindi movie Maidaan by staying the temporary injunction granted by a Mysuru civil court against the screening of the movie in any language in any form, including electronic, magnetic and over-the-top (OTT) media platform.
Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar passed the interim order on a petition filed by Boney Kapoor of Bayview Projects Private Limited, Mumbai, who is one of the producers of the movie.
On April 8, the Mysuru court had issued the ex parte temporary injunction against screening of the movie on a law suit filed by script writer C.R. Anil Kumar of Mysuru, who had alleged copyright violation by the producers.
The petition was filed in the High Court on April 11 morning seeking urgent hearing even though the court was closed for Eid holiday, on the ground that the Mysuru court’s April 8 order of granting temporary injunction was communicated to the petitioner at the last minute, on April 10, by which time screening of the movie in theatres had commenced worldwide.
Appearing for Mr. Kapoor, senior advocate Sajan Poovayya has contended that the order of temporary injunction is ‘cryptic, laconic, non-speaking and unreasoned order, without any application of mind and contrary to the principles for grant of ad-interim ex parte order of temporary injunction’ as contemplated under the Code of Civil Procedure.
Mr. Poovayya also contended that the order of temporary injunction does not assign reasons or spell out as to how and why the plaintiff had made out a prima facie case, and that balance of convenience was in his favour and irreparable injury and hardship would be caused to the plaintiff requiring dispensation of notice to the defendants — Mr. Kapoor and other co-producers, including Zee Studios.
It was also claimed in the petition that except stating that the petitioner had released the trailer more than 1½ months prior to institution of the instant suit, there was no other material placed on record to even remotely establish alleged infringement of the alleged copyright.
Actor Ajay Devgn plays the lead role of a football coach in the movie, which portrays the golden era of Indian football during the early 1950s and ‘60s under coach Syed Abdul Rahim.