Bengaluru court grants an ex parte ad interim injunction on September 19, 2026.
Order concerns allegedly false and defamatory content about The Paradise
Court says viral circulation could cause irreversible commercial and reputational damage before the September 24 release.
A Bengaluru court on September 19, 2026, issued an ex parte ad interim injunction against the spread of allegedly false and defamatory content about the upcoming film The Paradise. The film is due for worldwide theatrical release on September 24. The XXXV Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru passed the order on an application by the film’s producer, Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas LLP.
Producer’s plea
The producer said it had made substantial investments in the film’s production, marketing and distribution. It also argued that the disputed posts, comments and URLs could hurt the film’s commercial prospects only days before release.
The producer sought permanent and mandatory injunctions and asked for interim relief under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. It said the official trailer came out on August 6, 2026, after which social media platforms started carrying several allegedly false and derogatory posts, comments and URLs.
Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas LLP relied on screenshots and URLs listed in the schedule to the plaint. It argued that the material went beyond fair criticism and amounted to targeted commercial defamation that could damage the film’s business prospects.
The producer warned that more circulation of the material could inflict permanent financial harm. It also urged the court to skip prior notice to the defendants, saying advance warning could let unknown parties erase, change or spread the disputed URLs.
What did the court said?
The court found that the plaintiff had made out a prima facie case. It examined the submissions and the material on record before granting interim relief.
“The documents produced indicate the propagation of derogatory statements which go beyond standard artistic evaluation and appear targeted to diminish the commercial value of the production,” the court observed in its order, as reported by LiveLaw.
The court said unchecked spread of the material in the run-up to release could inflict damage that could not be measured or undone, both financially and in reputation. It also found that the balance of convenience was in the plaintiff’s favour.
The court invoked the proviso to Order XXXIX Rule 3 CPC and set aside prior notice. It then restrained the defendants, their officers, agents and persons acting through them from hosting, publishing, transmitting, reproducing or otherwise making available the allegedly false and defamatory content on The Paradise listed in the plaint schedule.
The court said it covers only the URLs named in the plaint schedule and does not stop bona fide public reviews or genuine criticism of the film.
The order is temporary. It does not run until the film’s release and will stay in force only until the next hearing. The plaintiff must follow Order XXXIX Rule 3 CPC and give the defendants copies of the plaint, documents, application and order.
The suit and interim application are listed for October 28, 2026.
