The Delhi high court on September 10 refused to grant an immediate stay on the criminal investigation against Dharma Productions in a copyright dispute related to Yash Raj Films’ Shamshera, starring Ranbir Kapoor. Justice Ajay Digpaul, however, issued notice on Dharma’s main petition as well as its plea for interim relief.
Dharma Productions’ plea relates to an FIR registered in 2024 on a complaint by filmmaker Bikramjeet Singh Bhullar who claimed that the producers of Shamshera violated his copyright. Bhullar said that the film was based on his literary work, Kabhu Na Chhadein Khet.
Dharma has said that Bhullar first approached it with his script Kabhu Na Chhadein Khet in 2007. Around 2017, the production house decided against pursuing the project. Bhullar later alleged that YRF used his script for its Shamshera. He also filed a criminal complaint against both, YRF and Dharma Productions.
These criminal proceedings are being challenged by Dharma before the high court. The Delhi HC declined to grant Dharma immediate relief but sought the response of the Delhi government and Bhullar in the matter. They have been asked to file their replies before the next date of hearing, October 14.
YRF had already moved the HC in the matter, challenging the registration of the FIR. In January this year, Justice Anup Bhambhani had stayed further investigation against YRF and its chairman, Aditya Chopra, after observing that the copyright allegations had already been considered and rejected at the interim stage in a civil suit filed by Bhullar. The civil suit was decided at the interim stage by Justice Jyoti Singh on December 20, 2023, when Bhullar tried to block the streaming of Shamshera on OTT platforms.
