Karnataka court lifts interim injunction against “Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye” produced by ex-MP Divya Spandana. City Civil and Sessions Judge Padma Prasad revoked an earlier ruling in favour of the film director SV Rajendra Singh Babu.
Bengaluru court lifted an interim order prohibiting the use of the title Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye in a film to be released by Applebox Studios, a production company founded by actor and ex-member of parliament Divya Spandana.
City Civil and Sessions Judge Padma Prasad revoked an earlier ruling in favour of filmmaker SV Rajendra Singh Babu against the use of a song title in his film Bannada Gejje. Babu’s lawsuit only named the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, Jayadurga Movies, and the Central Board of Film Certification as defendants.
It was his contention that he had begun production on a Kannada feature film with the same name, starring Ambareesh and Suhasini, and that it was 70% complete. However, the film was unfinished due to Ambareesh’s passing.
Applebox Studios, on the other hand, stated in their application for impleadment and vacation of the stay that the film had already been completed and would be released soon.
In addition, it was argued that the movie’s rights belonged to Sri Jagadguru Movies and not to Babu, and that the rights had been legally transferred to them and duly registered with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce.
The production company further argued that the temporary injunction order was preventing them from releasing the film, and that if it is not vacated, they will suffer irreparable harm and loss.
The court then lifted the injunction in light of the fact that the defendants had completed the soon-to-be-released film while the plaintiff’s film remained unfinished. Spectrum Legal Partner Chintan Chinnappa, assisted by Spectrum Legal associates Vishaka Nikkam, Divya Jain, and Akshay Rao, represented Divya Spandana and Applebox Studios.
