Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana Gets Legal Protection Ahead of November 5 Release (Img: X)
Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoor's much awaited film Ramayana has received interim legal protection against piracy ahead of its scheduled theatrical release on November 5. The Bombay High Court has directed unidentified individuals, internet service providers (ISPs) and social media platforms to prevent the unauthorised recording, distribution and streaming of the film.
The court has also instructed internet service providers and digital platforms to remove or block pirated material once they receive a complaint from the production company.
According to a report , Justice Madhav Jamdar passed the interim order on Monday while hearing a copyright infringement petition filed by Godpower Media Private Limited. The company holds the copyright and exploitation rights for the film in India as well as international markets.
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The production house approached the court seeking protection for several copyrighted elements, including the film's screenplay, characters, visuals, music, lyrics and sound recordings.
During the proceedings, the court was informed that the first instalment of Ramayana had been made on a reported budget of Rs 2,000 crore. The combined production cost of the two-part cinematic project was stated to be approximately Rs 4,000 crore.
The production company also highlighted instances of alleged piracy involving footage from the film's two trailers. According to its submission, clips were secretly recorded during exclusive preview screenings and subsequently circulated online despite confidentiality agreements.
The makers expressed concerns that similar unauthorised recordings could occur when the film reaches cinemas.
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Representatives appearing for Google LLC and other social media platforms reportedly did not oppose the relief sought by the production company. They also assured the court that appropriate action would be taken against piracy-related complaints.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita. Yash will portray Ravana, marking his Hindi cinema debut.
The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman and Arun Govil as King Dashrath.
The ambitious two-part project is produced by Namit Malhotra under Prime Focus Studios, in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations.
With the November 5 release approaching, the court's interim order offers an important legal safeguard for the makers against unauthorised distribution of the film.
