Jiostar India Pvt. Ltd. V. Vegamovies.Yachts & Ors.

Summary

In the present case JioStar India Pvt. Ltd., a well-known production house, was on the verge of releasing its much-awaited film “Jolly LLB 3” on 19 September 2025. The film, produced in collaboration with Kangra Talkies Pvt. Ltd., was entirely owned by JioStar in terms of copyright and all associated intellectual property rights. In the days leading up to the release, JioStar discovered that several rogue websites operating under familiar piracy banners like Vegamovies, Moviesmod, and Dotmovies were already offering illegal access to films and preparing to leak “Jolly LLB 3” even before its release. Alarmed by the recurring pattern of pre-release piracy, JioStar approached the Delhi High Court, seeking urgent intervention to protect its intellectual property and business interests. The company filed a suit against a wide range of defendants: the infringing websites (Defendants 1–24), domain name registrars (Defendants 25–34), internet service providers (Defendants 35–43), and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as Defendants 44 and 45. The plaintiff sought an ex-parte injunction to block access to the infringing domains and, importantly, requested a “Dynamic+ injunction” a modern judicial tool that allows future infringing websites to be blocked without filing new proceedings each time.

Issues Raised:

1. Whether the Plaintiff was entitled to an ex-parte ad-interim injunction to prevent the online piracy of “Jolly LLB 3” before its official release?
2. Whether the Delhi High Court could extend protection to future infringing websites through a Dynamic+ injunction, ensuring continuous protection against piracy?

Judgment:

In the present case Hon’ble Justice Tejas Karia recognized that the plaintiff had established a strong prima facie case. The Court noted that piracy of unreleased films has become a persistent digital menace that can inflict irreversible damage even before a film reaches the box office. Unauthorized circulation of “Jolly LLB 3” on these websites would cause not just financial harm but also dilute the creative and commercial value of the production. Accordingly, the Court granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction restraining the identified websites from hosting, streaming, or making the film available in any manner. It directed all domain registrars and internet service providers to block and disable access to the infringing websites within 72 hours. The DoT and MeitY were also instructed to issue immediate notifications to ensure compliance.

Importantly, the Court granted JioStar the liberty to notify any new rogue websites that might appear in the future, which the authorities must block without the need for a new court order. This direction reaffirmed the Court’s commitment to the Dynamic+ injunction model first recognized in earlier cases like Star India Pvt. Ltd. v. Moviesverse.ac and Universal City Studios LLC v. Dotmovies.baby. To ensure fairness, the Court also clarified that if any genuine website was mistakenly blocked, it could approach the Court for appropriate relief.

Key Findings and Developments:

This order reinforces the Delhi High Court’s evolving approach towards combating digital piracy by recognizing the Dynamic+ injunction as a vital mechanism in the age of instantaneous online content sharing. The Court acknowledged that traditional injunctions often fail to keep pace with how quickly new infringing domains emerge and disappear. By adopting this forward-looking measure, the Court effectively bridged the gap between law and technology.

The judgment also highlights a growing judicial awareness of the economic and creative harm caused by pre-release piracy. It ensures that content creators like JioStar are not forced into a repetitive cycle of litigation every time a new infringing website surface. By mandating strict timelines72 hours for blocking access and two weeks for filing compliance affidavits the Court ensured both speed and accountability in enforcement. The matter has been listed for further proceedings on 20 January 2026.

Significance:

The JioStar India case is a timely reminder that the law must evolve with technology. The Delhi High Court’s order does not just protect one film; it strengthens the larger ecosystem of creative industries battling online piracy. It marks another progressive step in India’s copyright jurisprudence, ensuring that the hard work of filmmakers is shielded from digital theft even before the first screening.