Over 30 producers and associations file civil suit against media houses for defaming Bollywood

A civil suit has been filed before the Delhi High Court by four Bollywood associations and 34 Bollywood producers against Republic TV, Arnab Goswami and Pradeep Bhandari of Republic TV, Times Now, Rahul Shivshankar and Navika Kumar of Times Now, unknown defendants and social media platforms.

The industry has collectively urged the apex court to direct these media houses and journalists to refrain from “making or publishing irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks against Bollywood as a whole and members of Bollywood” and to restrain them from conducting “media trials of Bollywood personalities and interfering with the right to privacy of persons associated with Bollywood.” 

The suit comes after allegations of undue intrusion and sensationalism in the media following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The plaintiffs have also prayed that the defendants abide by the provisions of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, and to “withdraw, recall and take down all the defamatory content published by them against Bollywood,” a joint statement read. 

The suit has been filed by DSK Legal on behalf of the Plaintiffs including: 

The Producers Guild of India

The Cine & TV Artiste Association

The Film and TV Producers Council

Screenwriters Association

Aamir Khan Productions

Ad-Labs Films

Ajay Devgn Fflims

Andolan Films

Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network

Arbaaz Khan Productions

Ashutosh Gowarikaer Productions

BSK Network and Entertainment

Cape of Good Films

Clean Slate Filmz

Dharma Productions

Emmay Entertainment & Motion Pictures

Excel Entertainment

Filmkraft Productions

Hope Production

Kabir Khan Films

Luv Films

Macguffin Pictures

Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment

One India Stories

R.S. Entertainment

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures

Red Chillies Entertainment

Reliance Big Entertainment

Reel Life Productions

Rohit Shetty Pictures

Roy Kapur Productions

Salman Khan Ventures

Sohail Khan Productions

Sikhya Entertianment

Tiger Baby Digital

Vinod Chopra Films

Vishal Bhardwaj Film

YashRaj Films

“The Plaintiffs are not seeking a blanket gag order against media reportage of the investigation in the cases relating to the death of Mr Sushant Singh Rajput or of FIRs No 15 and 16/2020 filed by the NCB, Mumbai. The Plaintiffs are merely seeking a perpetual and mandatory injunction against the Defendants from carrying on reportage and publication of material that violates applicable laws,” the statement added.