Madras High Court Grants Anti-Piracy Relief to Protect Shahid Kapoor’s O’Romeo
The Madras High Court has granted interim protection to the makers of the upcoming Hindi film O’Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor, against possible piracy before its theatrical release.
Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy passed an interim order restraining internet service providers and cable TV operators from illegally broadcasting, transmitting, or sharing the film online before its release.
Why did the Court pass this order?
The case was filed by the film’s producer, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, which expressed concern that the film might be leaked or circulated unlawfully around the time of its release.
The Court observed that in cases of pre-release piracy, the damage to producers is immediate and cannot be reversed. Once a film is leaked online, it spreads rapidly and causes serious financial loss.
A balanced approach by the Court
While granting protection, the Court also cautioned against passing very broad “John Doe” or dynamic injunctions. Such wide orders can sometimes affect the legitimate business activities of internet platforms and service providers.
To strike a balance, the Court directed that the injunction will remain in force only if the producer gives an indemnity undertaking. This means the producer must compensate the service providers if they suffer any genuine business loss due to the order.
About the film
O’Romeo is an upcoming Hindi action thriller directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The film is scheduled to release on February 13, 2026. It also features Triptii Dimri and Nana Patekar and is inspired by Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai, set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s underworld.
Interestingly, last week, a Mumbai court dismissed a plea filed by Sanober Shaikh, daughter of the late journalist Hussain Shaikh (also known as Hussain Ustara), who had sought to stop the film’s release.
