In a significant interim decision, the Delhi High Court has intervened in a copyright dispute between radio broadcaster Mirchi and entertainment platform MissMalini. The case revolves around the alleged unauthorized use of clips from the talk show What Women Want, hosted by Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Mirchi, owned by Entertainment Network India Limited, accused MissMalini Entertainment Private Limited (MEPL) of breaching an agreement. MEPL allegedly posted clips from the show on YouTube and Instagram after obscuring Mirchi’s branding and replacing it with their own logo. Mirchi asserted exclusive ownership of all intellectual property rights associated with the show, claiming MEPL failed to honor a prior understanding to preview content before publication.
Justice Mini Pushkarna, hearing the case on December 20, issued an ex parte interim injunction in favor of Mirchi. The Court ordered MissMalini to remove the disputed clips from its platforms within 48 hours. Compliance followed shortly, with the contested content taken down.
The Court further restrained MEPL from using any of Mirchi’s copyrighted material on social media or other platforms until the next hearing, scheduled for May 13.
Mirchi had previously issued a cease-and-desist notice and initiated a copyright strike against the videos. Dissatisfied with the response, they escalated the matter to the Delhi High Court.
This case highlights the rising tensions over digital content ownership and the legal battles that can ensue when promotional partnerships go awry. The upcoming hearings are expected to delve deeper into the specifics of the agreement and determine whether MEPL’s actions constituted a breach of intellectual property rights.
Entertainment_Network_India_Limited_Vs_Miss_Malini_Entertainment_Pvt_Ltd_And_Others
