Sushant Singh Rajput's biopic continues to stream: Delhi High Court dismisses injunction plea

In a recent development, the Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a stay on the streaming of the movie 'Nyay: The Justice,' a biographical film based on the life of the late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The court's decision came as a blow to the petitioner, Sushant's father, who had filed a plea seeking an interlocutory injunction against the filmmakers.

Justice C Hari Shankar, while delivering the judgment, expressed that granting a ban on the movie at this stage would be unjust, as it has already been released on an over-the-top (OTT) platform and likely been viewed by a significant number of people. The court emphasized that seeking to impose legal restrictions on a transient and ever-evolving concept like celebrityhood would be contradictory in nature. 

Justice Shankar stated, "To fasten a legal right on something as fleeting as a celebrity appears to be an oxymoron. Law cannot allow itself to be a vehicle to promote celebrity culture."

The court went on to assert that granting additional rights exclusively to celebrities, beyond the scope of the constitutional guarantee of equality, would be inconsistent with the principles enshrined in India's Constitution. The court stated that these rights ceased to exist upon the actor's demise and could not be pursued by the plaintiff.

The film 'Nyay: The Justice' was released on an OTT platform in June 2021, almost a year after Sushant's tragic death. Produced by Vikas Productions, the movie aimed to shed light on various aspects of Sushant's life and the events leading up to his untimely demise.