Sourav Ganguly’s effort to keep Doosra out of cinemas did not stop the film. The Delhi High Court heard the plea and declined to stay the release, leaving the film to play as scheduled.
The legal team for producer Masjda Sajeh and director Abhinay Deo set out the makers’ position: this is not a Ganguly story.
“The film is not based on and does not infringe any rights of Mr. Ganguly. All match footage used in the film has been duly licensed with appropriate permissions.”
Madhu Gadodia, deputy managing partner at Naik Naik and Company, told Hindustan Times that the team will continue to defend the proceedings.
What the plea claimed
Ganguly and Luv Films, which is producing an authorised biopic with Rajkummar Rao, argued that Doosra uses his identity and iconic career moments for commercial gain without consent. The plea pointed specifically to the 2002 NatWest Series captaincy and the shirtless celebration on the Lord’s balcony, claiming those were deployed to sell tickets.
Luv Films joined the suit on the strength of an August 5, 2021 agreement that gave it exclusive global audiovisual rights to Ganguly’s life story. The authorised biopic is scheduled for May 2027.
The timing is central to the objection. With the authorised biopic still more than a year away, Ganguly’s side is essentially asking whether a fictional film can build awareness on his memorable cricket moments before the real story reaches screens.
Why the line matters
The makers say Doosra tells the fictional story of Tara, a woman who challenges societal norms. That is the heart of the defence: a fiction can reference a real public world without being a biography of Ganguly. The match footage at issue has, according to the legal team, been licensed.
- Delhi High Court was not inclined to stay the release.
- Doosra is in theatres and continues its run.
- The authorised Rajkummar Rao biopic remains a separate project, due in May 2027.
What happens next
A refusal to stay a release is not a final decision on the personality-rights claim. It means the court did not see a reason to pause the film before the fuller arguments are heard. The release continues, while the legal defence moves through court.
This case is a reminder that personality rights are not just about biopics. A sports moment, a signature celebration, and even real match footage can carry legal weight when they become a marketing asset.
For Hindi cinema fans, the dispute draws a practical line between an authorised biopic and a fictional drama that borrows real-world cricket texture. Doosra is available now; the official Ganguly story with Rajkummar Rao will arrive separately.
Source: Hindustan Times