The Delhi High Court has allowed the continued theatrical exhibition of _Doosra_ )despite finding preliminary grounds that the film infringes former India Captain Sourav Ganguly‘s personality and publicity rights, according to a report by ANI. The filmmakers must now provide a ₹2 crore (approx. USD 213K) bank guarantee and make changes to the film’s presentation to comply with the court’s interim directions.
Justice Tejas Karia determined that the material associated with Ganguly was sufficiently integrated into the film’s storyline that removing it would not be practical at this stage. Instead of stopping its exhibition, the court imposed conditions on its continued commercial exploitation.
Authorised biopic rights form part of the dispute
The legal challenge was brought jointly by Ganguly and Luv Films LLP, which holds contractual rights to develop audiovisual productions based on the former India Captain’s life and cricketing career.
Their agreement, signed on August 5, 2021, granted Luv Films exclusive rights to develop, produce and commercially exploit such content, including an authorised biographical film.
The company has invested substantially in _Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story_, a biopic scheduled for theatrical release on May 14, 2027.
The plaintiffs argued that _Doosra_ had drawn commercially on identifiable elements of Ganguly’s career without permission, raising concerns over the use of his public identity and the exclusive rights granted to Luv Films.
NatWest final references trigger legal objections
The controversy centres on the film’s treatment of events associated with India’s victory over England in the 2002 NatWest Series final at Lord’s.
Ganguly’s leadership during the tournament and his shirtless celebration on the Lord’s balcony featured prominently in the plaintiffs’ objections. They maintained that the use of these recognisable moments, including in promotional material, could suggest an association with or endorsement by the former cricketer that he had not authorised.
The dispute emerged following the launch of the film’s trailer and marketing campaign on October 12.
The Times of India also reported that director Abhinay Deo discussed the influence of the NatWest final and milestones from Ganguly’s career on the film’s fictional character Tara in an October 13 interview.
Ganguly and Luv Films subsequently sought restrictions on the film’s theatrical and digital distribution, other forms of release and promotional activity involving his name, likeness and cricketing achievements.
Court sets deadlines for producers
Under the November 6 interim order, Ramesh Deo Productions Private Limited must furnish an unconditional bank guarantee of ₹2 crore (approx. USD 213K) to the Registrar of the Delhi High Court within two weeks.
The production company must also display disclaimers in both Hindi and English at the opening and conclusion of the film within two days.
These notices must explicitly state that Ganguly did not consent to the use of his persona and that the production is not intended to infringe his personality or publicity rights.
The court further directed that failure to meet any of these requirements would prevent the defendants and those acting on their behalf from commercially exploiting the film or any aspect of it.
Doosra remains in theatres under interim protection
Directed by Abhinay Deo, _Doosra: India’s Other Freedom Struggle_ stars Plabita Borthakur, Ankur Vikal and Samidha Guru. The sports drama was released theatrically on October 23.
The High Court had previously declined to block its release on October 22. A day later, it directed the filmmakers to respond to Ganguly’s allegations and arrange a screening of the movie.
The subsequent interim decision leaves the film’s theatrical run intact while recognising preliminary grounds for Ganguly’s objections to the commercial use of his identity.
Ramesh Deo Productions must now satisfy the court’s disclosure and financial requirements within the prescribed deadlines to retain the ability to commercially exploit the film.
