Protection for Film IP: Delhi HC Grants Ad Interim Injunction to Vinay Pictures

Summary

In an important new ruling on movie-related intellectual property, the Delhi High Court granted an ex-parte, temporary ban in favour of Vinay Pictures, the studio behind the beloved comedy Andaz Apna Apna. The Court barred a number of Defendants from making or selling merchandise, running infringing websites, and posting AI-created videos that use the films characters, lines, or visuals.

The order strengthens the Court’s growing body of law on cinematic IP and affirmatively protects character ownership, signature dialogues, and digital uses in both real-world and online markets.

Issues Raised

1. Who owns the screen copyright and trademark-the film itself and the characters, lines, and images-or has the owner lost those rights?
2. Does the defendants use of clips, graphics, characters, merch, AI videos, and domain names cross the line into infringement, passing off, dilution, or unfair competition?
3. In view of early evidence of harm and the risk of serious loss, should the court grant a temporary injunction until the matter is settled?

Plaintiff’s Arguments

1. Ownership of IP: Plaintiff, through legal heir Ms. Shanti Vinaykumar Sinha, asserted exclusive rights over:
   • Title (Andaz Apna Apna)
   • Characters: Amar, Prem, Crime Master Gogo, Teja
   • Iconic dialogues: “Aila”, “Ouima”, “Teja main hoon, mark idhar hai”
   • Literary, dramatic, and artistic elements including costumes, mannerisms, and scene settings
2. Acts of Infringement:
   • Defendants manufactured merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, posters, stickers) bearing infringing content
   • Domain ailaouima.com redirected to Etsy storefront selling unauthorized film merchandise
   • AI-generated stickers and videos uploaded using characters/dialogues on platforms like Bobble.ai and YouTube
3. Irreparable Harm: Such unauthorized acts lead to consumer confusion, misattribution, dilution, and potential reputational harm.
4. Jurisdictional Challenge: Defendants operated across multiple platforms and jurisdictions, making piecemeal enforcement infeasible without urgent interim relief.

Analysis

This recent bench verdict gives Indian intellectual property law a noticeable nudge forward, especially in the areas of film and character-based rights:

1. Broader I.P. Shield: The court ruled that the copyright on a movie extends beyond the camera reel, encompassing the characters, their quirks, lines — even a catchy one-liner once a character demonstrates sufficient individuality.
2. Merchandising and Royalties: Merchandising and Royalties: It treats the sale of dolls, clothes or apps containing those elements as a bona fide, legally protectable revenue stream — which may mean relying on the same Hollywood studios are staked on for decades.
3. AI Creations Count Too: Most eye-catching is the inclusion of machine-made stickers, avatars, and shorts under infringement; by naming them now, the bench urges lawmakers to stay ahead of future clashes between human and synthetic creativity.
4. Digital Enforcement Tools: The order influences modern enforcement mechanisms—platform takedowns, domain deactivation, and data disclosure making it a blueprint for future digital IP litigation.
5. Precedent Value: Though interim, this judgment would have quite some precedental value for the enforceability of film IP in India. It weighs commercial rights against public expression without straying into exceptions such as “fair use,” parody and transformative uses that may appear in closing arguments.

Conclusion

The Delhi High Court’s protection of Andaz Apna Apna’s IP signals a clear message that film-based Ips which were once considered vulnerable in India are now receiving strong judicial recognition, especially in the digital and AI-driven era. Content creators, production houses, and rights holders must proactively secure and assert such rights, as digital exploitation continues to blur boundaries of fair use and infringement.