Copy sent to the Censor Board are not safe too.
By Dileep Thekkethil
The Madras High Court order has directed 169 registered Internet Service Providers (ISP) to clamp down on any attempt made by unscrupulous websites to pirate the copy of the upcoming superstar Rajnikanth starrer ‘Kabali’.
The ruling of the High Court comes at a time when even the copy of movies sent to the Censor Board, shared confidentially with the government-run certification authority, are being leaked and uploaded on websites for people to download for free.
The interim order was passed by Justice N Kirubakaran, on a writ petition filed by S Thanu, the producer of the much awaited Rajni movie Kabali, which is slated for worldwide release on July 22.
The court has also made multi-system operators accountable if any cable operator registered with them illegally telecasts the movie.
“The petitioner is said to have suffered heavy loss due to online and video piracy of his movies ‘Therri’ and ‘Kanidhan’, and his apprehension regarding illegal downloading, streaming, etc. of his upcoming movie by rogue websites is well-founded. Hence, this court is convinced to grant an order of interim injunction restraining the licensed ISPs listed as respondents 7 to 175, from giving access to the rogue websites listed in the schedule to the petition, and other similar websites indulging in online piracy and infringement of copyright pertaining to the film ‘Kabali,’ and more particularly prohibit them in territorial jurisdiction of India from exhibiting, releasing, projecting, screening or in any manner providing platforms for downloading the film Kabali which is already censored and slated for release on July 22,” the judge said in the order.’
The court also allowed the producer of the movie to serve private notice to all ISPs shown as respondents in the case.
The Counsel representing one of the ISPs said that a similar order was passed by a lower court but the court had to later modify due to the failure of implementing the order as it is.
The court also found that piracy has resulted in the exchequer losing several hundred crores of Rupees every year, he said.