Delhi HC summons T-Series, Netflix India on plea to restrain OTT release of Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal

Cine1 Studios Private Limited has initiated legal action against co-producer T-Series, filing a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court seeking an injunction against the release of the film “Animal” on any streaming or satellite platform.

The Delhi High Court has responded by issuing summons on the suit brought by Cine1 Studios, one of the co-producers of “Animal,” requesting a stay on the film’s release on OTT platforms. The suit specifically targets T-Series, seeking a directive to prevent the movie from being released on any streaming or satellite services.

Justice Sanjeev Narula, upon accepting the suit, issued summons to the defendants and provided them with time to submit a written statement. The court directed, “Along with the written statement(s), defendants shall also file an affidavit(s) of admission/denial of the documents of the plaintiff, without which the written statement(s) shall not be taken on record.”

The plaintiff has been granted the liberty to file a replication within 15 days of receiving the written statement(s). The court also specified that along with any replications submitted by the plaintiff, affidavits of admission/denial of documents from the defendants should be filed, without which the replications will not be accepted.

The case has been scheduled before the Joint Registrar for the completion of pleadings and marking of exhibits on March 15, 2024, followed by a listing before the court for the framing of issues.

The bench observed that Senior Counsel Sandeep Sethi, representing the plaintiff, relied on an affidavit and certain documents to clarify the plaintiff’s position regarding the second amendment agreement. The court directed the parties to file their replies by 11 am on January 20, allowing the plaintiff to submit any rejoinders by the end of the day. Additionally, the court permitted the counsels to file brief submissions not exceeding three pages, along with relevant case laws, before the next hearing.

The matter is scheduled for further submissions on January 22, 2024.

Cine1 Studios Private Limited alleges that Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd breached the acquisition agreement, the letter, and the amendment agreement, consistently violating contractual rights. The plaintiff claims that the defendant released the film “Animal” without approval, failed to disclose production costs, and breached contractual credits and marketing plans. The plaintiff seeks to prevent the film’s release on digital or satellite platforms until the breaches are rectified.