On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court refused to lift the stay on the release of a movie, tentatively titled ‘Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar’ or ‘Shaadi Ke Director Karan Johar.’ The court noted that the title infringes upon filmmaker Karan Johar’s personality and publicity rights.

The bench comprised of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik. It said that Karan Johar has garnered “immense goodwill and reputation” in the entertainment industry in India and globally. It dismissed the film’s maker, Sanjay Singh’s appeal, which challenged a March order passed by a single HC bench. For the unversed, the previous order issued a stay on the film’s release.

Advertisement

On Wednesday, the court noted, “The name ‘Karan Johar’ is solely associated with the respondent No 1 (Karan Johar) and forms a germane part of his personality and brand name.” It added, “The respondent (Johar) being a celebrity is entitled to the protection of his personality and publicity rights and can claim protection against unauthorised commercial exploitation by third parties.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar)

Moreover, in the previous order, Justice Riyaz Chagla observed that the film’s title was a clear reference to Karan Johar. Especially, the characters named ‘Karan’ and ‘Johar’ are portrayed as Bollywood directors. Additionally, Justice Chagla noted that there was a clear attempt to link the film with Johar.

Also Read: Following the strikes, film producers rush to trademark ‘Operation Sindoor’

Meanwhile, in his suit, the ‘Koffee With Karan’ host claimed no affiliation with the film in question and its makers. He stated that the makers are unlawfully using his name in the movie’s title. The title of the film, ‘Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar,’ explicitly mentions the filmmaker’s name without consent. This violates his personality rights and rights to publicity and privacy. The plea asserted that the makers are attempting to capitalise on Johar’s public image, exploiting his name, brand, reputation, and goodwill.