In a last-minute legal victory, Alia Bhatt’s much-anticipated movie Jigra has been granted permission for its scheduled release on October 11, 2024, following a Rajasthan High Court ruling. The relief comes just two days after the Jodhpur Commercial Court halted the release over a trademark dispute.
The petitioner, Bhallaram Choudhary, had claimed that he runs online classes under the name Jigra and had trademarked it in September 2023 under Class 41, which covers education, entertainment, and training. Bhallaram argued that the movie title infringes on his registered trademark, seeking an injunction to stop the release. The lower court sided with Bhallaram and imposed an interim stay on the film’s release, sparking concerns within the Bollywood industry and among eager moviegoers.
Dharma Productions, the powerhouse behind Jigra, swiftly appealed to the Rajasthan High Court. Senior advocate Vikas Balia argued that the production house had registered the Jigra trademark under multiple classes, though not under Class 41. He also emphasized that the movie does not violate trademark laws as it does not overlap with any of the petitioner’s commercial activities.
The High Court ruled in favor of Dharma Productions, stating that the name Jigra for a movie does not infringe on the petitioner’s rights. The court noted that monetary compensation could be pursued if any violations arose in the future but emphasized that stopping the release would cause financial harm to the filmmakers.
Jigra, which stars Alia Bhatt as a woman on a daring mission to rescue her brother, played by Vedang Raina, will hit theaters as scheduled. The court’s decision to allow the movie’s release has been seen as a significant moment, highlighting the delicate balance between intellectual property rights and creative freedom in India’s booming film industry.
Source: The Indian Express https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/jaipur/alia-bhatt-starrer-jigra-gets-high-court-relief-after-rajasthan-man-said-he-runs-online-classes-by-that-name-9614498/
