In a significant development, the Rajasthan High Court has allowed the release of the Alia Bhatt-starrer film ‘Jigra’, overturning an earlier decision by the Commercial Court in Jodhpur that had temporarily halted the film’s debut. The movie, which is set to premiere on October 11, faced legal challenges over a trademark dispute initiated by a Rajasthan-based educator.
The dispute began when Bhallaram Choudhary, who runs online classes under the banner ‘Jigra’, claimed that the film’s title infringes on his trademark registered in September 2023 under Class 41, which includes education, entertainment, and training services. Following his complaint, the Commercial Court issued an ad interim injunction on October 8, stopping the film’s scheduled release.
Dharma Productions Private Limited, the producer of ‘Jigra’, challenged the lower court’s order at the High Court, arguing that their use of the name did not violate trademark laws as their registration of the trademark was in different classes not related to educational services. Represented by Senior Advocate Vikas Balia and his team, the production house contended that there was no direct competition or market overlap between the film and Choudhary’s educational services.
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate R N Mathur, representing Choudhary, emphasized the need to protect his client’s trademark rights, arguing that the film’s release could potentially damage his educational business.
However, the High Court bench, comprising Justices Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Munnuri Laxman, found no substantial evidence of trademark infringement. The judges highlighted that Dharma Productions was not engaging in any trade that conflicted directly with Choudhary’s educational services. They stated, “The goods and services rendered by Dharma Production Private Limited by naming a movie as ‘Jigra’ cannot be considered an infringement of trademark laws.”
The court also noted that any potential violations could be addressed through monetary compensation rather than halting the film’s release, thereby avoiding undue financial losses for the production house.
