Delhi High Court sets aside copyright order against A.R. Rahman in Ponniyin Selvan-2 dispute
The Delhi High Court has overturned its April 2025 order directing A.R. Rahman, Madras Talkies, and Lyca Productions to deposit ₹2 crore and amend credits in relation to the song Veera Raja Veera. The Court held that the claim of exclusive authorship over the Dhrupad composition Shiva Stuti, allegedly copied in the film, could not be sustained, noting that the work forms part of the collective Dagarvani tradition and has been publicly performed by various branches of the Dagar family. The Bench ruled that recognising exclusivity would hinder the transmission of heritage art forms.
Case Title: AR Rahman v. Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar & Ors.
Citation: FAO(OS) (COMM) 86/2025 & CM APPL. 27354/2025.
Read more about it here. Read the order here.
Supreme Court signals need to decriminalise defamation
The Supreme Court has observed that the time has come to decriminalise defamation, marking a departure from its 2016 ruling in Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India, which upheld the constitutional validity of criminal defamation under Section 499 of the IPC. The comment arose during the hearing of a plea against summons issued to The Wire in a criminal defamation case filed by a JNU professor over a 2016 article. While Section 499 IPC has since been replaced by Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, defamation continues as a criminal offence. The Court has issued notice in the case, with Justice MM Sundresh stating that it may be time to reconsider the law.
Read more about it here.
Karnataka High Court stays State’s cap on cinema ticket prices
The Karnataka High Court has stayed the State Government’s amended rule capping cinema ticket prices at ₹200 (excluding GST) across theatres and multiplexes. The interim order was passed on petitions filed by the Multiplex Association of India and leading film production houses, which argued that the Karnataka Cinema (Regulation) Act, 1964, only governs licensing of theatres and does not empower the State to fix ticket prices. The petitioners also highlighted that a similar 2017 attempt to regulate ticket pricing was withdrawn after legal objections.
Read more about it here.
ED attaches Rs 307.16 crore assets linked to FairPlay in money laundering probe
The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached assets worth about Rs 307.16 crore under the PMLA in connection with its investigation into FairPlay’s illegal broadcasting and online betting operations. The action follows FIRs initiated and subsequent complaints alleging offences under the IPC, IT Act, and Copyright Act, with revenue losses exceeding Rs 100 crore. The probe identified Krish Laxmichand Shah, based in Dubai, as the key figure behind the network, supported by associates and multiple offshore entities. The ED has traced proceeds of crime running into several hundred crores, allegedly routed abroad through trade-based money laundering.
Read more about it here.
Delhi High Court Questions Maintainability of Sameer Wankhede’s Defamation Suit Against Aryan Khan’s Netflix Show ‘The Ba**ds of Bollywood*’
The Delhi High Court has asked IRS officer Sameer Wankhede to explain how his INR 2 crore defamation suit against the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is maintainable in Delhi, directing him to amend his plaint to show cause of action in the city. Former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court with a defamation suit against Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and others over Aryan Khan’s directorial debut series “The Ba**ds of Bollywood”. Wankhede alleges that the show maligns his reputation, misrepresents events connected to the 2021 drug case, and undermines public confidence in anti-drug enforcement agencies. He contends that certain sequences not only defame him but also amount to violations of the Information Technology Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Seeking damages of Rs 2 crore, Wankhede has also requested an injunction against streaming and distribution of the series. The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter shortly.
You can read more about it here and here.
Delhi High Court cancels ‘CROOSE’ trademark for deceptive similarity with Crocs
The Delhi High Court has ordered cancellation of the registration of trademark granted to the mark ‘CROOSE’ in Class 25, holding it deceptively similar to the globally known ‘Crocs’ trademark. In Crocs Inc v. Registrar of Trademarks & Anr., Justice Tejas Karia found found the CROOSE mark to be “deceptively similar” to the US-based footwear brand’s Crocs. The ruling reinforces the protection available to established brands and sets a significant precedent for curbing imitation marks seeking to exploit the goodwill of market leaders.
You can read more about it here.
Madras High Court orders Sony Music to reveal earnings from Ilaiyaraaja’s songs
The Madras High Court has directed Sony Music Entertainment India to submit detailed accounts showing the revenue generated from the “commercial exploitation” of composer Ilaiyaraaja’s works. This order follows civil suits filed by Ilaiyaraaja against Sony, Echo Recording Company, and Oriental Records, alleging that his musical works were used without proper consent or royalty payments.
The court has given Sony until October 22 to produce the financial records. Ilaiyaraaja argues that under the Copyright Act (Sections 14, 17 and moral rights under Section 57), he retains exclusive rights over reproduction, adaptation, public communication, and the integrity of his compositions, unless a written assignment states otherwise. He claims Sony is exploiting his songs via digital/streaming platforms without paying the legally mandated share of royalties.
You can read more about it here.
