In a significant development ahead of the theatrical release of macho 3The Madras High Court on Wednesday granted an ad-interim anti-piracy injunction to protect the copyright of an upcoming Hindi film starring Rani Mukherjee. The order was passed in a suit filed by the film’s producer, Yash Raj Films, citing concerns over possible piracy before and after its release.
Madras High Court grants anti-piracy injunction to protect Rani Mukherjee’s Mardaani 3 ahead of release
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthy issued an interim order restraining Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and cable television operators from any unauthorized broadcast, transmission or dissemination of the film. The purpose of the injunction is to prevent the film from being illegally streamed or streamed online before its official release in theatres.
While passing the order, the Court said that in cases involving pre-release piracy there is a risk of irreparable injury to the copyright holder if the unauthorized transmission is not curbed at an early stage. The Court said that once pirated content comes into the public domain, the damage caused to the commercial interests of the creator cannot be compensated.
At the same time, the Court also acknowledged concerns related to the broad scope of the anti-piracy injunction. It was observed that such detailed orders could potentially impact the legitimate business interests of intermediaries, including ISPs and cable operators, who may not be directly involved in piracy-related activities.
Striking a balance between protecting intellectual property rights and safeguarding legitimate commercial operations, the Court directed that the injunction remain in force, provided Yash Raj Films furnishes compensation in favor of the respondents. This compensation will cover any legitimate business loss arising due to the operation of the interim order.
Amidst such apprehensions, legal action was initiated by Yash Raj Films macho 3 May become a victim of illegal broadcast or online dissemination, a concern that has become increasingly common with high-profile film releases.
macho 3 Marks the third installment in manly The franchise, which features Rani Mukherjee reprising her role as a police officer, a character she previously played in previous films released in 2014 and 2019. The film is directed by Abhiraj Meenawala and is scheduled to release in theaters on January 30, 2026.
Notably, the Madras High Court had recently passed a similar interim order prohibiting unauthorized telecast or dissemination of Hindi film Happy Patel: Dangerous DetectiveUnderlines the judiciary’s continued focus on preventing film piracy before theatrical release.
