‘We are not stopping film today,’ Delhi HC refuses cricketer’s plea to stall Doosra
The show will go on — for now. The Delhi High Court has refused to halt the October 23 theatrical release of Doosra, rejecting former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s immediate bid to block the film.
A vacation bench of Justice Dinesh Bhatt observed that the balance of convenience appeared to favour the filmmakers. “You may have a valuable right. (But) We are not stopping the film today,” the judge orally remarked, listing the matter for further hearing on Friday. The filmmakers’ senior counsel argued that Doosra is not a biopic and that the necessary permissions had been obtained from the BCCI to use certain cricket footage featuring Ganguly.
Ganguly’s counsel, however, raised concerns over personality rights, arguing that the film could leave audiences with the impression that the former cricketer was associated with or had endorsed it.
LEGAL GAME BEHIND THE FOOTAGE
Using an iconic sporting moment on screen involves more than securing a clip. While the sporting event itself is not automatically protected by copyright, the audiovisual broadcast is. Match footage may be subject to rights held by broadcasters, cricket boards or other rights holders, and commercial use generally requires the appropriate licences. A separate question is whether a film’s use of a celebrity’s name, image or likeness unlawfully exploits their identity or falsely suggests endorsement. The answer depends on the context, the manner of use and the applicable law; the use of a famous sporting moment does not automatically establish a personality-rights violation.
Ganguly’s iconic shirt-waving celebration at Lord’s after India’s 2002 NatWest Series final victory over England remains one of Indian cricket’s defining images. Whether and how such moments can be used in a film is now part of the wider debate over footage rights and a public figure’s commercial identity. For now, Doosra remains on course for release, but the legal contest is far from over.
— (With inputs from PTI)
Directed by Abhinay Deo, Doosra follows Tara, a young woman from conservative Rajasthan whose life takes a turn after witnessing Sourav Ganguly’s iconic shirt-waving celebration at Lord’s in 2002, inspiring her own rebellion and empowerment.
Highlight: Senior counsel said Doosra is not a biopic and BCCI had cleared the use of certain clips.
