Delhi High Court Grants Ad-Interim Injunction to NDTV Against Trademark and Copyright Infringement
The Delhi High Court granted an ad-interim ex-parte injunction in favour of New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) in a lawsuit alleging infringement of trademark, passing off, and infringement of copyright, including unfair competition, against various platforms and defendants which are unknown. The Court found that the defendants were unauthorisedly using deceptively similar variants of NDTV’s trademark, with the intent to create a false impression of association with NDTV. Noting that NDTV had a strong prima facie case, and that the balance of convenience lied in its favour, and that unrestrained infringement would cause irreparable harm, the Court directed the infringers to cease all infringing activity. Additionally, it ordered platforms such as Google, YouTube, and Telegram to suspend or remove infringing channels and accounts, and to disclose associated information.
Case Title: New Delhi Television v. Ashok Kumar and Ors.
Citation: CS (COMM) 869/2025
Access the order here.
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Supreme Court Directs Comedians to Issue Public Apology for Insensitive Jokes on Disabled
The Supreme Court, on August 25, 2025, directed comedians Samay Raina, Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar to publicly display apologies on their YouTube channels and social media platforms for making insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities. The Supreme Court emphasized the distinction between freedom of speech and commercialised speech. The Court further underscored the necessity for guidelines to ensure that violations invite proportionate consequences, acknowledging that humour should not be at the expense of the dignity of diverse communities.
Read more about it here.
Madras High Court dismisses Producer Challenge on ‘Coolie’ ‘A’ Certification
The Madras High Court dismissed the plea challenging the decision of the CBFC in issuing an ‘A’ certificate to the film. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) explained to the Madras High Court the procedure followed in certifying the film Coolie with an ‘A’ certificate, restricting viewership to adults. Additional Solicitor General detailed that the examining committee, composed of one CBFC officer and four randomly selected members representing diverse public interests, unanimously deemed the film fit only for an ‘A’ certification due to violent content. The production firm then requested a review by the revising committee, which also unanimously upheld the ‘A’ certification. The CBFC argued that by releasing the film under the ‘A’ certificate without further cuts, the production house had accepted the certification and could not now seek a downgrade to a U/A certificate under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Contrarily, it was contended that the production company had not accepted the ‘A’ rating and has the statutory right to challenge it, pointing to prior instances of similarly violent films receiving U/A certificates and noting discrepancies in foreign certification standards. The court has reserved its order on the appeal filed by the producers.
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Bombay High Court Clears Film ‘Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi’ Without Cuts
The Bombay High Court on August 25, 2025, allowed the release of the film Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi, based on the life of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, rejecting the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) demands for cuts. After personally viewing the film, the Division Bench found no objectionable content warranting censorship. The Court set aside the CBFC’s earlier orders, which had initially flagged 29 objections and later reduced to eight, but still withheld certification. The Court dismissed CBFC’s claims of obscenity, defamation, and threats to public order, noting the film’s mild nature even by current OTT standards. The Producers argued that CBFC exceeded its mandate by seeking a No Objection Certificate from the political figure portrayed, which the Court agreed was beyond CBFC’s legal authority. The Court suggested enhancing the film’s disclaimer with the phrase “creative freedom” to clarify its fictional nature.
Case Title: Ajay Maini vs. State of Haryana & Ors.
Read more about it here.
International Music Producer KMKZ Accuses T-Series of Plagiarism in ‘Raanjhan’ Song
Music producer KMKZ publicly accused T-Series and composer duo Sachet-Parampara of using his beats in the song ‘Raanjhan’ from the OTT film Do Patti without his permission or credit. KMKZ, who sells beats online, discovered that his music was allegedly used in the song, without any acknowledgment. Despite repeated attempts to contact T-Series via email, KMKZ claims to have received no response and demanded recognition, including a plaque, for his work. The film Do Patti stars Kajol and Kriti Sanon, and the song is composed by Sachet-Parampara with lyrics by Kausar Munir. This is not the first plagiarism controversy involving T-Series, which was previously accused of unauthorized use of another musician’s work in the film.
Read more about it here.
Bombay High Court Bars Cognizant from Using Logo Pending Trademark Dispute
The Bombay High Court has restrained Cognizant Technology Solutions from using its logo in India pending the conclusion of a trademark infringement suit brought by Bengaluru-based Atyati Technologies. Setting aside a June 2024 single-judge order that permitted Cognizant to continue using its logo, the division bench reinstated an earlier March 2024 injunction which barred company’s use of the device mark in question. The dispute centres on allegations by Atyati, which has used a hexagonal honeycomb logo since 2019, that Cognizant infringed its copyright and trademark by adopting a similar logo in 2022 and engaged in passing off. The division bench held that although a litigant must provide complete candour to the court, the degree of any suppression of material information by Atyati did not warrant vacating the interim injunction, and restored the injunctive relief while the matter remains pending.
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NFDC Signs Landmark Partnerships with Australian Screen Industry Bodies
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has entered into Letters of Intent with Screen Producers Australia (SPA) and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) to enhance cultural exchange, co-production, and heritage preservation between India and Australia. The agreement with SPA inaugurates the India Connect program, facilitating Indian producers’ participation in Australia’s SCREEN FOREVER 2026 conference through project-matching, delegate selection, and networking to foster collaborative productions. Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju highlighted these initiatives as vital to strengthening global ties in Indian cinema, with rollouts planned from late 2025, including expanded Australian involvement in NFDC’s Waves Bazaar co-production market during IFFI.
Read more about it here.
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