'Main Hoon Rajinikanth' harmed the actor's reputation, says Justice S. Tamilvanan

Chennai: Superstar Rajnikanth has won a temporary reprieve with the Madras High Court restraining Varsha Productions from using his name, image, caricature or style of dialogue delivery in the still to be released film titled Main Hoon Rajinikanth or in any other upcoming projects or films.

Adjourning further hearing of the petition filed by the actor in his given name, Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, Justice S. Tamilvanan, said in his interim injunction that there was prima facie evidence to suggest that the film 'Main Hoon Rajinikanth' harmed his reputation.

Referring to the caricature of the popular actor as a CBI officer, a part-time social worker, part-time contract killer and so on in the film, he said senior counsel P.S. Raman had produced a compact disc containing all objectionable scenes and the portion that was played in open court seemed to be obscene and would certainly tarnish his image and reputation.

Also Read: Superstar Rajinikanth against unauthorised use

Rajinikanth has, in his petition, accused Varsha Productions of trying to cash in on his popularity by using his name and style of dialogue delivery without his consent. If his name was associated with a feature film of such “immoral and promiscuous nature” his reputation across the world and the Indian film industry would suffer, he added.

Maintaining that through hard work and persistence, he has attained what he has, Rajinikanth in his application filed before the Madras high court said use of his name without his consent would amount to “infiltration of his personality rights and copyright”. He said his reputation was so high that even a passing reference to the name Rajinikanth would be associated by the general public only with him and no one else. Varsha Productions, in its forthcoming film, has used his name/image/caricature/style of delivering dialogues without his consent or permission and was trying to make unlawful benefits.

He has deliberately chosen not to authorise any biopic featuring him. This was due to his being against such gross commercialisation of his name and reputation. Irrespective of this stance, he has attained his status across the globe, particularly in India. He being a well known celebrity has the right to command and control the use of his name, he added.

Given his image, a large section of the public is likely to be misled into viewing such film on the belief that it has been approved by their matinee idol. It was to prevent such widespread hysteria and undue confusion among the public, besides maintaining his personal integrity, that he has chosen to abstain from approving or supporting any project based on his personality.

He has come across various press releases, video releases about Varsha Productions’ forthcoming film, Main Hoon Rajinikanth. It reveals that Varsha Productions has exploited the super hero image portrayed by him in various films for the benefit of the company by embodying the same in its film and also has scenes of immoral nature. “In having his name associated with such a feature film of immoral and promiscuous nature, he would be subject to defamation, slander and gross damage to his vast reputation/goodwill among the public across the world and the Indian film industry,” he added.