The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to block the theatrical release of the film 'Doosra' scheduled for October 23, rejecting a plea filed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly. A vacation bench led by Justice Dinesh Bhatt orally observed that the balance of convenience favoured the filmmakers rather than the plaintiff seeking to prevent the release. The court indicated it would hear the matter again on Friday, keeping the door open for further arguments even as the film proceeded toward its scheduled release.
Ganguly and Luv Films LLP, a production company working on a separate biopic of the former cricket captain, jointly filed the lawsuit. The legal challenge centred on claims that 'Doosra' violated Ganguly's personality rights and commercial interests tied to his identity and cricketing career, particularly his leadership during India's 2002 NatWest Series victory and the iconic shirtless celebration from Lord's balcony.
"It is due for release tomorrow (Friday). Balance of convenience prima facie does not favour you. You may have a valuable right. (But) We are not stopping the film today," the judge was quoted as saying by NDTV Sports.
What were Ganguly's legal arguments?
Ganguly's counsel argued that no licence had been obtained from the former captain for the production of 'Doosra', and that the film was being actively promoted using references to his life and achievements. The legal team contended that Ganguly formed the central narrative of the film rather than serving as a peripheral figure.
"The movie (Doosra) is being promoted on Sourav Ganguly. Sourav Ganguly is the actual hero of the movie. He and his life are the main theme of the movie," Ganguly's counsel said.
How did the filmmakers respond to the allegations?
The filmmakers' legal representatives countered that 'Doosra' was not a biographical film and that all necessary permissions had been secured to use specific footage in the production. They argued that Ganguly could not claim personality rights over clips from the 2002 NatWest Series, as those rights belonged to the BCCI or its authorised rights holders, not to individual players featured in the footage.
"This is blackmailing on the last day," said the filmmakers' counsel.
The film 'Doosra', directed by Abhinay Deo and starring Plabita Borthakur, Ankur Vikal and Samidha Guru, is described as a sports drama set between 1991 and 2001. The narrative weaves together the story of a middle-class Rajasthani girl with sporting events, culminating in India's victory in the 2002 NatWest Series final against England at Lord's Cricket Ground.
The court also noted that a separate biopic on Ganguly's life was already under production, a detail that formed part of the broader context of the dispute. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on Friday, with the filmmakers proceeding with their planned release while the legal proceedings continue.
