High Court
Shemaroo obtains John Doe order from HC to protect ‘Hunterrr’ from piracy
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has obtained a John Doe order from the Mumbai High Court to protect its latest release Hunterrr from the menace of piracy. The order, not only restricts piracy on cable, digital and physical medium but action can also be taken against a person watching the film from an illegal source.
Shemaroo Entertainment has sent a copy of the order to various MSOs, LCOs and ISPs. Further, the court has directed all police authorities to act on the order.
The order restrains any person from “downloading from internet, telecasting, broadcasting and distributing or putting on the cable TV network, disseminating, reproducing or otherwise making available to the public, the film Hunterrr or “from (i) making a copy of the said film, (ii) to sell or give on hire, or offer for sale or hire, any copy of the said film (iii) to communicate the film to the public in any manner whatsoever including by way of but not limited to telecasting and/or re telecasting the said film, or even otherwise dealing with the rights in the said film which vest exclusively in the Plaintiff, in any manner whatsoever.” The order also restrains others “from communicating or making available or distributing, or duplicating, or displaying, or releasing, or showing, or uploading, or downloading or exhibiting, or playing, and/or defraying the movie Hunterrr in any manner from the Plaintiff or in any other manner, which would violate/infringe the Plaintiff’s copyright in the said film Hunterrr.”
Hunterrr stars Gulshan Devaiah, Radhika Apte and Sai Tamhankar and is produced by Anurag Kashyap’s Phantom Films.
A John Doe order is defined as an action instituted by a party who seeks the aid of the Court in fear of some future probable injury to his rights or interest and the action is brought to prevent a wrong that is apprehended.
High Court
Delhi HC blocks illegal IPL 2026 streams, backs JioStar rights
Court orders swift takedowns, expands crackdown on piracy apps
NEW DELHI: In a timely move ahead of the cricketing season, the Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to JioStar India Private Limited, clamping down on illegal streaming of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026.
The court passed ex parte ad interim injunctions in two separate suits, restraining rogue websites and mobile applications from broadcasting IPL matches without authorisation. The tournament is set to begin on 28 March, making the timing of the order particularly significant.
Recognising JioStar’s exclusive digital and broadcast rights for the IPL cycle from 2023 to 2027, the court observed that unauthorised streaming would infringe its statutory and proprietary rights, potentially causing irreparable losses.
In one case, the court directed several identified websites to immediately stop hosting or streaming IPL content. It also issued a dynamic injunction, allowing JioStar to flag new infringing platforms in real time, which must then be blocked swiftly by domain registrars and internet service providers.
In a parallel order, the court turned its attention to piracy through mobile apps, particularly Android-based platforms distributing content via APK files. A broader dynamic+ injunction was granted, extending to future variants, mirror links and related interfaces, signalling a tougher stance on evolving piracy tactics.
The court also directed domain name registrars to suspend offending domains and share registrant details, including KYC and payment information. Internet service providers and telecom operators have been instructed to block access within strict timelines, in some instances within 36 hours. Both the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been asked to facilitate enforcement through necessary notifications.
Noting the fast-changing nature of digital piracy, the court emphasised the need for real-time enforcement tools to keep pace with anonymous and constantly shifting networks. It also underlined the commercial impact of piracy on legitimate rights holders.
The ruling reinforces the judiciary’s firm stance on protecting intellectual property in the digital age. For viewers, it is a reminder to stick to official platforms as the IPL season kicks off under tighter watch.
