Madras High Court Halts OTT Release of 'Drishyam 3' Telugu Version
Court Issues Stay on 'Drishyam 3' Release
Fans were looking forward to the OTT debut of Mohanlal's suspense thriller 'Drishyam 3', but recent developments have dampened their excitement. The Madras High Court has placed an interim stay on the release of the Telugu-dubbed version of the film. To understand the reasons behind this ruling, read on.
Legal Action Against 'Drishyam 3'
Reports indicate that a petition was filed by filmmaker Sripriya's production company along with Rajkumar Theatres Private Limited, aiming to prevent the OTT release of the Telugu version of 'Drishyam 3'. The film was set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 18, but Justice K. Kumaresh Babu has intervened with a stay order prior to the scheduled date. The court noted, "Despite being served with private notice, no representatives appeared on their behalf in court."
The court's ruling prohibits the respondents—including their employees, agents, and anyone associated with them—from releasing the film in Telugu on OTT platforms in a manner that violates the applicant's copyrights.
Background of the Controversy
'Drishyam 3' marks the third chapter in the suspense-thriller series featuring Mohanlal. The first two films, 'Drishyam' (2014) and 'Drishyam 2', were successfully remade in Telugu. However, for this latest installment, the producers opted to release a dubbed version instead of creating a Telugu remake.
Venkatesh starred in the lead roles of the previous Telugu adaptations, which were directed by Sripriya, who asserts her rights over the Telugu version of the series. This prompted Sripriya and Rajkumar Sethupathi to file a petition in the Madras High Court to halt the OTT release of the dubbed version.
Expected OTT Release Date for 'Drishyam 3'
As for when 'Drishyam 3' will be available on OTT platforms, Amazon Prime Video recently announced the official release date for the film directed by Jeethu Joseph. The announcement confirmed that the movie is set to be released on June 18 in Hindi and all South Indian languages.
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