Superstar Rajinikanth against unauthorised use

Chennai: The Madras High Court has restrained M/s Varsha Productions from using the name/image/caricature/style of delivering dialogues of Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, also known as Rajinikanth in the forthcoming film titled Main Hoon Rajinikanth or in any of the forthcoming projects/films in any manner whatsoever amounting to infiltration of his personality rights, by such unauthorized use.

Post September 25, the further hearing of the application arising out of a suit filed by Rajinikanth, Justice S Tamilvanan, who granted the interim injunction said, “In the instant case, the available materials placed before this court and the arguments advanced by senior counsel, P S Raman, appearing for the applicant, would show that the title given to the film Main Hoon Rajinikanth would degrade the reputation of a popular personality in the cine field.

The materials available would show that the person in the caricature is in the same style of the popular actor, Rajinikanth, and the wordings available therein would show that the person is a CBI officer, stupid, part-time social worker, part-time contract killer etc., and describing the person as a womanizer”.

Having considered the averments made in the affidavit, supporting documents, materials object (compact disc) and also the submission of senior counsel P S Raman, this court was of the view that there was a prima facie case made out and the balance of convenience was also in favour of the applicant/plaintiff and therefore, it was just and reasonable to grant interim injunction. Accordingly, there shall be an order of interim injunction till September 25, justice Tamilvanan added.