Madras High Court Dismisses Intellectual Property Suit Against Tamil Film 'Saamaniyan' After Release
The Madras High Court has dismissed a suit seeking to restrain the release and promotion of the Tamil film "Saamaniyan," holding that the reliefs sought had become infructuous after the film was released in 2024.
Justice K. Kumaresh Babu passed the judgment on June 22, 2026, in a suit filed by M. Viyan Aarman, proprietor of Art Addict, who had claimed exclusive trademark and copyright rights over the title "SAAMANIYAN."
The proprietor had filed the suit against Etecetra Entertainment and others, including the Tamil Film Producer Council, the Film and Television Producers Guild of South India, the Central Board of Film Certification, and other digital cinema distributors.
The suit sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from promoting, releasing, or distributing the film across theatres, satellite channels, OTT platforms, YouTube, and other media.
Aarman's application for interim protection was dismissed by the Court on March 22, 2023. The film was subsequently released in 2024, rendering the entire prayer in the suit infructuous.
Aarman did not amend the reliefs to seek any alternative remedy after the release.
The court accordingly held that there was no issue left to be adjudicated. The suit was dismissed with no order as to costs.
For M.Viyan Aarman: Advocate H. Manojin
For Etecetra Entertainment: Advocate Vijayan Subramanian