Delhi High Court has restrained the unauthorised streaming of Salman Khan-hosted reality show ‘Bigg Boss’. According to news agency PTI, the court also said that the mushrooming of websites illegally broadcasting its content would boost piracy, ‘causing heavy losses to the plaintiff’.
The court said the programme enjoys ‘enormous popularity’ and illegal dissemination of its content, irrespective of past and future seasons, would be an infringement of the plaintiff’s copyright over the broadcast and reproduction rights of the show.
‘If any further websites with the name Bigg Boss are found by the plaintiff or any other websites which are telecasting illegally the programmes of the plaintiff, an application shall be filed impleading these websites. The present injunction shall accordingly extend to those websites as well,’ the judge said.
‘If such mushrooming of websites, which also use the name Bigg Boss, is permitted, it would boost piracy and unauthorised dissemination, causing heavy losses to the plaintiff, which may have obtained the rights in the said event or programme after making considerable investment,’ said the court.
The court further noted that the plaintiff’s OTT platform, JioCinema, is a subscription-based platform and if the illegal websites are allowed to telecast these programmes in an unauthorised manner, the subscription base is likely to be jeopardised.
Commenting on the court’s decision, Viacom18’s general counsel Anil Lale said, ‘The issuance of this dynamic injunction order underscores the court’s profound recognition of the inherent value of content and the pressing need to combat piracy in real time. The proactive stance taken by the honourable court provides invaluable support in our continuing fight against piracy.’
Currently, the 17th season of Bigg Boss is being aired on Colors TV.
From Ankita Lokhande and her husband Vikki Jain to comedian Munawar Faruqui, former journalist Jigna Vora and more, this season has interesting contestants and we are waiting to see who will win the show.
Also Watch | Britney Spears reveals she underwent abortion while dating Justin Timberlake: ‘He didn’t want to be'