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HC rules in favour of Karan Johar, bars release of film using his name

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday upheld a March 7, 2025 judgment that refused to lift the stay on the release of the film 'Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar'. The film's release had been halted since June 2024 after the court found that it likely infringed on the personality rights of filmmaker Karan Johar, reported Live Law. A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Makarand Karnik dismissed the appeal filed by the filmmakers against the earlier ruling by Justice Riyaz Chagla, who had passed the original interim stay on June 13, 2024. That interim stay was later confirmed and made absolute in a detailed ruling on March 7, 2025. A copy of the latest judgment is yet to be made available. In his previous order, Justice Chagla observed that a 'strong prima facie' case had been made by Johar to protect his personality rights, noting his celebrity status based on several blockbuster films he has directed and produced. The court also found that the use of his name in the title of the film appeared to be unauthorised and intended to unfairly profit from Johar's established brand. 'There is no manner of doubt that the plaintiff [Johar] has played a role in transforming the Bollywood film industry and launched careers of several successful actors. I have no doubt that prima facie the subject film is a direct reference to the plaintiff and makes unauthorised use of plaintiff's name,' Justice Chagla noted in his interim ruling. Also Read In his final judgment on March 7, Justice Chagla ruled that the filmmakers had prima facie violated Johar's personality rights, publicity rights, and right to privacy by using his name and associated attributes in the film title. 'The plaintiff [Karan Johar] has been able to establish that by using his brand name the defendants are attempting to ride upon the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiff to earn unjust profits for itself,' the court said while making the interim stay order permanent. The judge also noted that the characters in the film, named 'Karan' and 'Johar', are aspiring film directors in Bollywood — a clear reference to Johar's real-life profession. The use of the term 'director' alongside the name was viewed as a deliberate attempt to create an association with the real-life celebrity. The court found that this kind of portrayal could lead to commercial exploitation of Johar's name, which carries independent economic value. The judge emphasised that Johar alone has the right to commercially benefit from the use of his brand and identity. Background of the case Johar had filed a lawsuit claiming that he had no connection to the film and that the makers were unlawfully using his name in the title. The film is co-produced by IndiaPride Advisory Pvt Ltd and Sanjay Singh, and directed by Bablu Singh. In the lawsuit, Johar alleged that the film infringed upon his personality rights, right to publicity, and right to privacy. His legal team argued that the title Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar directly referred to his name and brand, without any authorisation. They added that Johar's name has gained a distinct identity and secondary meaning due to his widespread recognition in the entertainment industry. As a public figure, he has the legal right to prevent misuse of his identity under intellectual property laws. Johar's team also claimed that promotional material and trailers were causing irreparable harm to his reputation and goodwill, which he has built over decades in the film industry.