The Bombay High Court ruled in favor of filmmaker Karan Johar and blocked the release of Karan and Johar, the director of the film Shaadi, stating that unauthorized use of his name violates his personality rights and according to a report by live law, can damage their reputation.
The court order issued on May 7, 2025 increases a decision before 7 March, 2025, which laid a temporary migration on the release of the film. Karan Johar had filed a legal complaint, claiming that he had no participation with the project and did not allow filmmakers to use his name.
The title of the film has two characters named “Karan” and “Johar”, depicted as Bollywood directors, depicting Johar’s real -life identity. This raised serious concerns about filmmakers and tried to connect the film with him.
A division bench by Chief Justice Alok Aradh and Justice Makarand Karnik agreed that the film Johar’s identity and public image appeared to exploit public image for publicity objectives and business benefits, without their consent.
In an earlier hearing, Justice Riyaz Chagla also saw that the title of the film and depicting the characters seemed like a deliberate attempt to connect the film with Karan Johar. He called a clear case of taking advantage of the name of a celebrity to draw attention.
Johar’s legal team argued that his name bear significant weight in the Indian film industry and is widely recognized as a brand. He claimed that the filmmakers were trying to benefit from the brand without any authority, both misleading and illegal.
He also reported that trailers and posters for the film had already misled the audience and damaged Johar’s reputation, stating that he was part of the project.
The court agreed that only Karan Johar has the legal right to use his name and public identity for business or artistic enterprises. Any use by a third party without permission is a clear violation of their personality rights. A copy of the detailed court order is expected to be issued soon.
Karan Johar is a famous filmmaker in Hindi cinema, who is known for the direction of iconic films like Kuch Kuch Hot Hai, Kabi Khushi Kabi Gum, and my name is Khan. He has shaped modern Bollywood with a grand story, emotional depth and visual nature.
Also read: Bhool Chuk Maaf: What is expected from Rajkumar Rao-Vamik Gabbi to lead Rome-Com with a time loop twist? trace
