the Delhi HC has stepped in to ask WhatsApp
The Delhi High Court has directed WhatsApp to suspend the accounts of users pirating Salman Khan’s latest film Radhe.
Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai released on ZEE5’s pay-per-view service ZEEPlex on May 13, 2021.
Released during Eid, Radhe quickly became the most-watched film after just one day.
However, many have been illegally sharing pirated copies of the film on platforms such as WhatsApp.
As a result, the Delhi HC has stepped in to ask WhatsApp to suspend the accounts of those responsible.
Single Judge Bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula passed the interim order.
According to Bar and Bench, the court order states:
“The Plaintiff has filed the instant suit of permanent injunction, rendition of accounts and damages for the infringement of Plaintiff’s exclusive license and exploitation rights in the cinematograph film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai (in short ‘the film’).
“As stated in the plaint, the Plaintiff is the exclusive licensee and holder of various exploitation rights including Theatrical Rights, Satellite Rights, On Demand Rights etc. in and to the film, including, inter alia, the exclusive right to distribute/exhibit/release the film and/or make the film available to the public through theatrical, internet, digital and online streaming platforms/OTT platforms, Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) etc.”
The court order continued to mention that licensees of Radhe became aware that the film was being pirated through social media platforms soon after its release.
On May 15, 2021, Zee Entertainment Enterprises filed a complaint regarding the pirated versions of Radhe being circulated across multiple platforms, such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
In a statement, ZEE said:
“Films create livelihood, employment and a source of income for millions of people working for the industry.
“Piracy being the biggest threat to the entertainment industry, curbs down this source of livelihood.”
“People engaged in spreading the illegal version of the film, are not just embracing piracy, but are also negatively impacting the growth of the industry and the livelihoods of the people working for it around the clock.
“The appeal is being made to all the responsible citizens, asking them to say no to piracy and to consume entertainment or information content only through official platforms.”
The Delhi HC’s court order continued to say that WhatsApp has been contacted about the illegal sharing of Radhe.
However, WhatsApp is yet to issue a response.
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