- By Swati Singh
- Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:12 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Animal OTT Release Date Delayed? Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Animal’ hit the theatres on December 1, 2023. Soon after its release, the movie turned out to be a ‘blockbuster’ hit, garnering praises from fans and critics alike. If the reports were to be believed, Animal was all set to stream on OTT from Republic Day, that is, January 26, 2024, but it seems like the audience might have to wait a little longer as Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directorial has landed into a legal soup.
Animal Lands Into Legal Soup
Cine1 Studios, a supposed co-producer, has apparently taken legal action against T-Series in the Delhi High Court. The lawsuit accuses T-Series of not paying the agreed-upon dues and requests a halt to the movie's release on OTT platforms. As per the reports, the studio argues that T-Series did not meet its financial responsibilities related to the film's intellectual property rights.
The filed suit alleges that T-Series, without obtaining prior approval from Cine1, incurred various expenses related to the production, promotion, and release of the film. Additionally, the suit claims that T-Series received revenues from box office sales without disclosing the details to Cine1. Furthermore, it is alleged that T-Series failed to fulfill its financial obligations to Cine1, as outlined in the profit-sharing agreement, despite the commercial success of the film.
As per the filed lawsuit, in addition to the aforementioned financial breaches, the Defendant neglected to seek consultation, consent, and approval from the plaintiff concerning the release of the pre-teaser, trailer, and other promotional materials for the film. The suit further contends that the Defendant failed to ensure that the credits, as contractually agreed upon (including logos), were duly accorded and held equal prominence in all modes of promotion as well as the film itself. Moreover, the Defendant did not obtain the censor certificate jointly in the names of both the plaintiff and defendant, and there was a lack of consultation or consent regarding the marketing and publicity plan, as mentioned in the legal complaint.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, who appeared for Cine1, said in a statement, “They (T-Series) have been collecting all the money but I have not been paid a single penny... I have a long relationship with them but they have no respect for the agreement. I had the regard for the relationship and the sanctity of the contract, therefore, I did not rush to court.”
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Representing T-Series, Senior Advocate Amit Sibal contended that Cine1 Studios has no financial investment in the film, emphasizing that they haven't contributed even a single rupee. He pointed to an amendment dated August 2, 2022, made to the initial contract, suggesting that Cine1 purportedly relinquished all its intellectual property and derivative rights in the film. In exchange for this, Cine1 is said to have received ₹2.6 crores.
The legal representative for the plaintiff assures the court that their client will personally appear in court on Thursday. As per the lawsuit, the defendant has engaged in agreements with Netflix India for internet exploitation rights and with Sony Pictures Networks India for satellite rights to the film. The legal document notes that, in line with their ongoing behavior, the defendant, Super Cassettes, has neglected to provide any information regarding these agreements to the plaintiff.
