The Delhi High Court has directed former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly to identify the specific scenes and dialogues in the film Doosra that he claims violate his personality rights. The court has also sought details of the alleged infringement of contractual rights claimed by Luv Films LLP, which is producing a biopic on the cricketer.
Justice Tejas Karia asked Ganguly and the production company to prepare a table identifying the disputed portions of the film, along with their timestamps and the objections raised against each scene. The court said it would examine the material over the weekend before taking up the matter on November 2.
The defendants were directed to provide a copy of the film on a pen drive for the court’s examination.
Court Seeks Details of Contractual Rights Claim
Luv Films LLP, which is developing a biographical film titled Dada based on Ganguly’s life, has joined the former captain as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The production company has alleged that Doosra infringes its contractual rights. To examine this claim, the court directed the plaintiffs to submit the manuscript of Dada in a sealed envelope and explain which aspects of the defendants’ film allegedly interfere with those rights.
During the hearing, counsel for the plaintiffs sought an interim injunction against the filmmakers despite Doosra having already been released in theatres last week. The court was informed that the film had not yet become available on OTT platforms.
The plaintiffs argued that the film extensively depicted Ganguly’s life and used his image without obtaining his consent. Their counsel maintained that the narrative, particularly after the interval, concentrated heavily on the NatWest match involving the former captain.
Filmmakers Say Ganguly Was Only an Inspiration
The defendants contested the allegations, maintaining that Ganguly served merely as a source of inspiration for the film.
Senior counsel representing the filmmakers also submitted that the producers had obtained the necessary permissions from the authorities holding copyright over the sporting footage used in the movie.
The defendants described Doosra as a fictional account centred on a middle-class girl from Rajasthan whose experiences are influenced by sporting events associated with Ganguly.
Earlier Proceedings and Film Details
The dispute had previously come before the High Court on October 22, when it declined Ganguly’s request to prevent the film’s theatrical release.
On October 23, the court sought a response from the filmmakers to the allegations concerning personality rights and directed them to arrange a screening of the movie.
Titled Doosra: India’s Other Freedom Struggle, the sports drama is directed by Abhinay Deo and features Plabita Borthakur, Ankur Vikal and Samidha Guru.
The High Court will resume hearing the dispute on November 2 after examining the disputed scenes and the material submitted by the parties.
