Delhi HC Bans Unauthorized Use Of TMKOC Content

The Delhi High Court has put a stop to multiple YouTube channels, websites, and social media accounts to prevent them from infringing on the intellectual property of the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Justice Mini Pushkarna passed the order on August 14, covering unauthorized merchandise sales, character imitations, and the creation of AI photos, deepfakes, and animated videos. The order also applies to unknown defendants.

“An order of ex parte ad-interim injunction is passed thereby restraining the defendant nos. 1 to 12 and 14 to 21, (including the John Doe parties), their owners, partners, proprietors, officers, servants, employees and all others in capacity of principal or agent, acting for and on their behalf or anyone claiming through by or under it, from in any manner, hosting, streaming, broadcasting, transmitting, exhibiting, making available for viewing and downloading, providing access to and communicating to the public displaying, uploading, modifying, publishing, updating, sharing (including to its subscribers and users), offering for sale on their websites, through the internet, or in any manner or platform whatsoever, any content, goods or services, that in any manner whatsoever, amounts to infringement/passing off, of the plaintiff’s copyrighted material/ registered trademarks, including, but not limited to the title, the Characters, Format and Underlying Materials in the said show or anything else, which otherwise amounts to an infringement of the plaintiff’s Copyright/registered trademarks/passing off of the goods/services offered by the defendants,” the Court order read, as per Bar and Bench.

Neela Film Productions asserted ownership of the show's title, characters, dialogues, and other intellectual property rights, in the High Court. They mentioned that several social media accounts, websites, and channels were violating these rights by selling unauthorized items and producing videos, animations, deepfakes, and explicit content featuring the show's characters. Neela Film Productions was granted an injunction due to their strong case. The company had legal representation from Advocates Pravin Anand and others, whereas Google's defense team comprised Advocates Mamta Rani Jha and colleagues.

The show has been embroiled in controversy for some time now. In the latest twist, actor Gurucharan Singh, who portrayed Roshan Sodhi in the hit sitcom, revealed that he wasn't the one to depart Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in 2012; rather, the producers replaced him. During a recent interview, the actor claimed that the show's creators made the switch in 2012 without notifying him. He expressed surprise at being unaware of his replacement and was taken aback when a new Sodhi character appeared in an episode.