The Madras High Court has permitted Reliance Industries Limited to withdraw its case related to potential piracy threats concerning the film Dhurandhar. The suit, titled Reliance Industries Limited vs BSNL, was addressed on February 18. Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy presided over the matter and noted the withdrawal after a representative from Reliance indicated that the client had opted to discontinue the proceedings.

Court Rulings on the Case

Following this submission, the court dismissed the lawsuit as withdrawn without imposing any costs. Additionally, it closed the associated interim applications pertaining to the case. Reliance, through its media unit Jio Studios, had initially filed this commercial action under the Copyright Act of 1957, seeking permanent injunctions to prevent unauthorized online distribution and cable transmission of Dhurandhar. Such pre-release anti-piracy measures are often employed by filmmakers ahead of the film’s theatrical release.

Defendants Named in the Case

The lawsuit identified a wide range of defendants, including telecommunication service providers, internet intermediaries, and cable distribution networks such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), MTNL, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Tata Communications, Sify Technologies, Hathway, GTPL Hathway, Asianet Satellite Communications, and Spectra ISP Networks, along with several regional cable operators.

Directions Sought by Reliance

Among the requests made by Reliance were directions for internet and telecom intermediaries to block access to websites hosting infringing copies of the film upon receiving notices of such violations. The firm also sought prohibition orders to stop cable operators and other platforms from facilitating activities related to cam-recording, duplication, broadcasting, distribution, or transmission of the film through cable television, direct-to-home (DTH) services, satellite systems, internet platforms, or storage devices.

Previous Court Orders

On December 5, the court had previously granted interim protection that restrained service providers and cable operators from airing or enabling access to pirated versions of the film. However, when the case was listed again on February 18, Reliance’s counsel conveyed the decision to withdraw the suit and made a formal endorsement to that effect. The Court subsequently passed a brief order recording the withdrawal and closing the proceedings. The judicial order did not specify any reasons for the company’s decision to step back from the case.

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