Bombay High Court Blocks Release of Film Over Karan Johar’s Personality Rights

The court ruled that the movie title and content unlawfully used Karan Johar’s name and violated his privacy, publicity, and brand rights.

The Bombay High Court upheld an injunction against the release of the film 'Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar', citing violations of Karan Johar's personality and publicity rights.
Johar argued that the film’s title and content misused his name and profession without consent, misleading the public and harming his reputation.
The court found that the filmmakers attempted to capitalize on Johar’s goodwill and ruled that merely modifying the title would not eliminate public confusion.
Defendants claimed they were willing to make changes to the film but contested the timing of Johar’s legal action, which they argued came too late.
The court emphasized that the unauthorized use of Johar’s name infringed on intellectual property rights and could cause irreparable harm to his brand value.