Bombay High Court’s Decision on Urgent Relief
In a significant legal development, the Bombay High Court on Thursday, declined to provide immediate interim relief to Phantom Studios. The studio had filed a ₹250 crore lawsuit against JioStar India, asserting that the film ‘Queen Forever’ is an unauthorized sequel to the 2014 hit film ‘Queen’ [Phantom Studios v. JioStar India & Ors].
Legal Arguments and Court Proceedings
Justice Gauri Godse was approached by Phantom Studios’ legal counsel with a request for an urgent listing of the case. Phantom sought to prevent JioStar from establishing third-party rights, such as distribution agreements, for the film. The urgency was reportedly based on an Instagram post by lead actress Kangana Ranaut announcing the completion of the film’s shoot.
However, Justice Godse questioned the immediacy of the situation, indicating a preference to allow JioStar an opportunity to file a response before issuing any orders. Phantom Studios has brought forward this legal challenge, accusing JioStar of violating a 2012 co-production agreement and a 2022 deed of novation. These contracts purportedly render Phantom and JioStar (formerly Viacom18) as equal co-owners of all intellectual property and derivative rights related to ‘Queen.’
Claims and Counterclaims
Phantom Studios is seeking both permanent and interim injunctions to prevent any sequel, remake, or derivative work based on ‘Queen’ without its approval. Meanwhile, JioStar contends that ‘Queen Forever’ is an original, independent film, unrelated to the 2014 production. In a press statement, JioStar has refuted Phantom’s claims, emphasizing that the new film is not a continuation of the original storyline.
Representing JioStar, Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam argued that Phantom was aware of the film project as early as April 2025 and had already communicated with JioStar regarding the matter. Kadam further noted that the movie is slated for release later this year and argued that the Instagram post should not influence interim decisions as it was not included in the original application.
Next Steps in the Legal Battle
The Court has permitted Phantom Studios to amend their plea to include the Instagram post as part of the official record. The matter is scheduled for hearing on August 4. Advocates Shyam Kapadia and Rohan Dakshini, briefed by Rashmikant & Partners, are representing Phantom Studios. On the opposite side, advocates Ameet Naik and Madhu Gadodia from Naik Naik & Co, along with Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam, are representing JioStar India.
