The Madras High Court granted an interim anti-piracy injunction to safeguard the copyright of Shahid Kapoor’s upcoming film O’Romeo. Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy directed ISPs and cable operators to block unlawful broadcasting, streaming, downloading, and dissemination before the theatrical release.
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court granted an interim anti-piracy injunction to protect the copyright of the upcoming film O’Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor.
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy issued an interim order prohibiting the unauthorized broadcast, transmission, or dissemination of the film by internet service providers (ISPs) and cable television operators prior to its theatrical release.
The Court emphasized that in cases of pre-release piracy, the harm suffered by producers is immediate and irreversible. Once a film is unlawfully distributed online, any financial and commercial damage incurred cannot be remedied.
However, the Court also acknowledged that broad “John Doe” or dynamic injunctions might adversely impact the legitimate business interests of intermediaries and service providers.
To balance these concerns, the Court stipulated that the injunction would be effective only if the producer provided an indemnity undertaking to compensate the respondents for any legitimate business losses resulting from the order’s enforcement.
This interim relief was granted in a civil suit filed by the producer, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, which expressed concerns over the potential unlawful broadcast or online distribution prior to and immediately following the film’s theatrical debut.
O’Romeo is a Hindi action thriller directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. Scheduled for release on February 13, 2026, the film features Shahid Kapoor alongside Triptii Dimri, Nana Patekar, and others. It is inspired by Hussain Zaidi’s Mafia Queens of Mumbai and is set in Mumbai’s underworld.
Last week, a Mumbai Court rejected an interim application from Sanober Shaikh, daughter of the late journalist and encounter informer Hussain Shaikh (alias Hussain Ustara), who sought to prevent the film’s release.
Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment was represented by PK Law Firm.
Online piracy has become a significant challenge to intellectual property protection, resulting in substantial financial losses for content creators, broadcasters, and production companies. To address this growing threat, Indian courts have evolved the mechanism of anti-piracy injunctions, strengthening copyright enforcement in the digital landscape.
An anti-piracy injunction is a judicial directive that restrains unauthorised reproduction, circulation, streaming, or public communication of copyrighted works, including films, television programmes, music, software, and live sporting events. Such injunctions may be issued against identified infringers, unknown entities, as well as intermediaries who enable access to pirated material.
The legal foundation for anti-piracy injunctions in India is drawn from the Copyright Act, 1957, particularly Sections 14, 51, and 55, Order XXXIX of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, governing temporary injunctions; and the Information Technology Act, 2000, which outlines intermediary responsibilities and blocking measures. Courts typically grant this relief upon satisfaction of the essential requirements of a prima facie case, balance of convenience, and the likelihood of irreparable injury.