LHC stays use of title of film Maula Jatt

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday stayed unauthorised use of title of film ‘Maula Jatt’, dialogue, characters, making/shooting and exhibition of work identical to the movie.

Justice Aminuddin Khan passed the stay order on a petition moved by Muhammad Sarwar Bhatti of Bahoo Film Corporation, the producer of original Punjabi film ‘Maula Jatt’ seeking an injunctive order against the exhibition of ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ produced by Bilal Lashari.

Pakistan Film Producers Association, Central Film Censor Board, Punjab Film Censor Board, Sindh Film Censor Board had been made parties in the petition besides complete cast of the upcoming film.

Bhatti’s counsel Ahsan Masood argued that the petitioner possessed the rights in relation to the movie including title and cinematographic works and the censorship certificate was also issued by the censor board in the name of the petitioner as producer.

He further argued that the respondents including Bilal Lashari had no right to use title, script, character, dialogue, poetry, music etc in respect of this work. However, he said, the respondents had been infringing the petitioner’s legal rights.

The counsel pointed out that Intellectual Property Tribunal had initially granted a stay to the petitioner, however, later observed that the petitioner failed to establish prima facie case as to the claim of infringement of cinematographic work and rights in the script. He contended that the tribunal had not applied judicious mind to the facts and circumstances of the case and acted with material irregularity before passing the impugned order.

The counsel pointed out that the respondent producer and his team was making the film Maula Jatt having same dialogues, characters and script, which, under the law, they were not entitled to do.

He asked the court to restrain the respondents from unauthorised and illegally using title, copying/publishing script, characters, dialogues, poetry, style, songs, music, registering and exhibition of work deceptively similar to film Maula Jatt in any manner. He further urged the court to suspend operation of the illegally issued censor certificates with the title of “The Legend of Maula Jatt”.

“Respondents are restrained from unauthorised doing afore-noted acts,” said Justice Khan in a one-page order and adjourned further hearing till June 6.