Copyright Showdown: Delhi High Court Weighs Infringement Claims in ‘Dream Girl 2’ Dispute

Copyright Showdown: Delhi High Court Weighs Infringement Claims in ‘Dream Girl 2’ Dispute

Introduction

The Delhi High Court has reserved its judgment in a copyright infringement dispute involving the film “Dream Girl 2”. The plaintiff, a scriptwriter, alleged that the film’s storyline and characters infringe upon his copyrighted literary work.

Factual Background

The plaintiff claimed that he had written and developed an original story in the form of a script, which was shared with the defendants under strict conditions of confidentiality. It was alleged that the defendants used the plaintiff’s work without authorization, resulting in the production of “Dream Girl 2”.

Procedural Background

The plaintiff filed a suit seeking an injunction restraining the defendants from exploiting the film. Initially, the Court refused to grant an interim injunction, permitting the defendants to release the film. The pleadings were completed, and the matter was argued extensively.

Issues Before the Court

1. Originality of the Plaintiff’s Work – Whether the plaintiff’s script qualifies as an original literary work entitled to protection under the Copyright Act, 1957.

2. Similarity Between Rival Works – Whether “Dream Girl 2” copies the storyline, characters, and comedic situations from the plaintiff’s script.

3. Access and Breach of Confidence – Whether the defendants had access to the plaintiff’s script and breached the trust reposed in them.

Contentions of the Parties

• Plaintiff’s Contentions: The plaintiff argued that his script is an original literary work protected under the Copyright Act, 1957. He claimed the defendants had access to his script and that the film’s storyline and characters bear a striking resemblance to his work.
• Defendants’ Contentions: The defendants argued that the plaintiff’s work is neither original nor novel enough to merit copyright protection. They claimed the storyline and characters were independently conceived without substantial reliance on the plaintiff’s script.

Court’s Analysis

The bench of Justice R.I. Chagla examined the rival works and considered the submissions from both parties. The plaintiff maintained that the defendants copied the storyline, characters, and comedic elements from his script. The defendants denied infringement, asserting that their work was original and independently developed.

Outcome

The court has reserved its judgment, and the outcome will hinge on its comparative analysis of the two works and the evidence presented. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff, the defendants may face liability for copyright infringement, including damages or other legal remedies.

In this case, the plaintiff was represented by Mr. Priyank Kapadia with Mr. Aniketh Poojari, Advocate.