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Delhi High Court refused to stay the release of the film Doosra, dismissing Sourav Ganguly’s plea alleging personality rights violation and unauthorised commercial use.
Delhi HC refuses to stay release of film Doosra on Sourav Ganguly plea
Sourav Ganguly’s famous shirtless celebration at Lord’s after India’s 2002 NatWest Series win is one of the most memorable moments in cricket. The moment has now become part of a legal dispute over the upcoming film Doosra, which takes inspiration from the former India captain’s career. With the film set to release in theatres on October 23, Ganguly has approached the Delhi High Court over how his identity and cricketing achievements have been used.
According to Bar and Bench, the Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to stop the film’s release. Justice Dinesh Bhatt made it clear that the makers could go ahead with the theatrical release.
“I have said no stay, so the film can go on,” Justice Bhatt said, as reported by Bar and Bench. The court will hear the case again on Friday, October 23.
Ganguly and film production house Luv Films LLP have approached the court, claiming that Doosra uses his identity and famous cricketing moments without proper authorisation. They have asked the court to stop the film’s theatrical and digital releases, along with other forms of distribution. They have also sought a restriction on promotional material that allegedly uses Ganguly’s name, image and likeness without permission.
The case is also linked to an agreement Ganguly signed with Luv Films on August 5, 2021. According to the petition, the agreement gave the production house exclusive rights to develop, produce and commercially release audiovisual content based on his life and cricket career.
Luv Films has invested substantially in an authorised biopic titled Dada – The Sourav Ganguly Story, which is scheduled to release on May 14, 2027.
Ganguly and Luv Films have raised concerns about Doosra’s trailer and promotional campaign, which was launched on October 12. According to their plea, the film’s promotions refer to Ganguly’s leadership of the Indian cricket team and its famous victory over England in the 2002 NatWest Series final at Lord’s. This includes the moment when Ganguly celebrated by taking off his shirt on the Lord’s balcony.
They claim that the makers are using these moments to attract viewers by linking the film to Ganguly’s popularity. They are also concerned that audiences might think he is connected to or has approved the film.
The petition also mentions an interview in which director Abhinay Deo spoke about how the 2002 NatWest final and important moments from Ganguly’s career inspired the film’s fictional character, Tara.
The filmmakers have argued that Doosra is not a biopic on Ganguly. Their lawyer told the court that the film is about a young girl from Rajasthan who finds inspiration in the cricketer. The lawyer also said that the makers had obtained a licence from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to use footage from the NatWest Series. The defence argued that Ganguly does not have rights over the footage itself.
The court has not stopped the film from releasing as scheduled. The legal dispute will continue when the matter comes up for hearing again on October 23.
Doosra tells the story of Tara, a young girl who struggles with the rules and expectations of her conservative household in Rajasthan. Her life begins to change when she watches Ganguly’s famous celebration after India’s 2002 NatWest Series victory. Seeing him challenge expectations inspires Tara to question the restrictions placed on her and find the courage to stand up for herself.
Plabita Borthakur stars as Tara. Masha Sajdeh and Rohan Sajdeh have produced the film, with Neeta Shah as co-producer. Agnello Oswin Dias has written the story and screenplay, while Ram Sampat has composed the original score. The cast also includes Ankur Vikal, Samidha Guru, Tvisha Seema and Krishna Gokani. Doosra is scheduled to release in theatres on October 23.
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Ask News18No, the Delhi High Court refused to issue a stay on the film’s release, with Justice Dinesh Bhatt allowing the theatrical rollout to proceed as scheduled.
Ask News18October 23, 2026, 08:52 IST