Bombay High Court upholds stay on the release of Shaadi Ke Director Karan – Johar for using Karan Johar in their title : Bollywood News-OxBig News Network

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday upheld the stay on the release of a film tentatively titled Shaadi Ke Director Karan – Johar (also wanted to change it to Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar), ruling that the movie title infringes on the personality and publicity rights of renowned filmmaker Karan Johar.

Bombay High Court upholds stay on the release of Shaadi Ke Director Karan – Johar for using Karan Johar in their title

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik dismissed the appeal filed by the movie’s maker, Sanjay Singh, who had challenged a previous order passed in March by a single bench of the court that halted the film’s release. The court maintained that Karan Johar enjoys goodwill and reputation both in India and internationally, especially within the entertainment industry.

In a strongly worded observation, the bench noted that “Karan” and “Johar,” when used together, unmistakably refer to the celebrated director and producer. The court stated that Johar’s name has effectively become a brand and carries significant economic value, which he alone has the right to commercially exploit. The court has also rejected the argument made by the petitioner that they were willing to modify the title by inserting the word ‘aur’ (and) between the two names, stating that the use of the two names, Karan and Johar, in any combination is sufficient to create confusion in the minds of the public.

The court observed that such a modification was not enough to eliminate the association with Karan Johar and added that the title would still lead audiences to believe that the filmmaker is either involved in or endorsing the movie—an impression that is misleading and unauthorized.

Karan Johar, a prominent figure in Indian cinema, is known for his extensive body of work as a director, producer, talk show host, and media personality. The court emphasized that his name has acquired substantial brand value and is protected under the principles of publicity and personality rights.

With this verdict, the High Court has made it clear that the rights of celebrities over their names and brand identities must be respected, especially when such identities are commercially valuable and closely tied to public perception. As a result of the ruling, the stay on the release of Shaadi Ke Director Karan – Johar remains in force, effectively blocking its distribution under the contested title.

Also Read: Karan Johar CLAPS BACK at “career-destroyer” tag: “I can give you detailed data about the number of outsiders we’ve launched”

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