Madras High Court restrains unlawful broadcast of The Kerala Story 2
text_fields
The Madras High Court has restrained internet service providers and cable TV operators from unlawfully broadcasting the film The Kerala Story 2, granting an ad interim injunction in favour of the producer.
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed the order on two applications filed by Sunshine Pictures Limited, which apprehended infringement of its copyright in the film. The court noted that the producer had submitted the CBFC certificate as evidence of copyright ownership, which described it as the producer.
Observing that irreversible injury could occur unless the unlawful broadcast was prevented at the threshold, the court also acknowledged that the expansive nature of the relief sought might affect the legitimate business interests of the respondents. The court said the plaintiff must indemnify the respondents in that regard.
Subject to this condition, the court granted an ad interim injunction until March 23, 2026, and issued notice to the respondents returnable on that date. Private notice was also permitted, and the applicant was directed to comply with Order XXXIX Rule 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Earlier, on February 27, a division bench of the Kerala High Court lifted an interim stay on the release of the film. The bench of Justices S A Dharmadhikari and P V Balakrishnan stayed a single bench order after producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah filed an appeal.
The single bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas had stayed the film’s release for two weeks and directed the CBFC to review the screening certificate. The petition challenging the certification was filed by Sreedev Namboodiri of Kannur, who argued that the film’s title linked allegations of forced religious conversion to Kerala and could create a law and order situation.