Delhi High Court rejects Sourav Ganguly's plea to ban film 'Doosra'

Former captain of the Indian national team, Sourav Ganguly, failed to secure an injunction from the Delhi High Court against the screening of the film 'Doosra'. On Thursday, the court denied his request to ban the film, which is scheduled for release on October 23, bringing significant relief to the filmmakers and allowing them to continue preparations for the release.

Sourav Ganguly and the production house Love Films LLP filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court. Their claim was that the film 'Doosra' uses elements related to Ganguly's personality, popularity, and historical moments from his cricket career without permission. The main point of contention was India's victory over England in the Networth Series in 2002. After this match, Sourav Ganguly celebrated by taking off his shirt on the balcony of Lord's, an event still considered one of the most memorable moments in cricket history.

Ganguly stated in court that the use of his image and achievements in promoting the film could negatively affect his personality rights and commercial rights. An important aspect is that Love Films is already working on an official biography of Sourav Ganguly titled 'Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story'. According to the lawsuit, exclusive rights to create a film about Ganguly's life and career were transferred to the production house via an agreement dated August 5, 2021. Therefore, Ganguly and Love Films argue that the use of specific moments from his life and career in the film 'Doosra' could impact their business.

The creators of 'Doosra' contested Ganguly's allegations in court. They emphasized that it is not a biography of Sourav Ganguly. According to them, the film's plot revolves around Tara, a middle-class girl from Rajasthan who tries to find herself amidst social constraints. The film shows Tara watching Sourav Ganguly take off his shirt on the balcony of Lord's after India's victory in the 2002 Networth final on television, which inspires her to live openly and stand up for her beliefs. The creators also informed the court that they had obtained the necessary permission from the BCCI to use cricket footage, and that preparations for the film's release are complete, with bookings made for over 100 cinemas.

During the hearings, the bench, presided over by Judge Dinesh Bhatt, initially found that the 'balance of convenience' was on the side of the film creators. This meant the court felt that banning the film would cause more harm to the creators. Given that the film's release date was predetermined and numerous preparations, including theater bookings, had been made, this decision was reached. However, this does not mean the court recognized Ganguly's claims regarding his personality rights as invalid. Only the request for a temporary ban on the film's screening was rejected, and the legal proceedings will continue. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 23.

The film 'Doosra', directed by Abhinay Deva, is based on the events of the historic 2002 Networth Series victory and is titled 'India's Other Freedom Struggle'. The historical moment in cricket depicted in the film is linked to the story of a young woman. The plot focuses on the theme of personal freedom, the ability to make one's own decisions, and attempts to break free from societal limitations.