No Copyright Protection For Film Title Even If Registered: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court held that film titles cannot be protected under copyright law, even if registered with industry associations.

Justice Sandeep Marne dismissed producer Sunil Darshan Saberwal’s plea seeking to restrain the release of Disney+ Hotstar’s web series Lootere. 

The Court ruled that a title is not a “work” under Section 2(y) of the Copyright Act and that mere association-based registration creates no enforceable statutory right against non-members. 

The Court also noted the plaintiff’s delay and that the series was already streaming, making interim relief pointless. The Court concluded that no prima facie case for an injunction existed.

[Sunil S/o Darshan Saberwal v Star India Pvt. Ltd]