Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: Delhi High Court issues ban on unauthorized use of show's content

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah poster

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has become a cult show. It is India's longest-running show and, over the years, has created an entire ecosystem. Whether you like it or not, TMKOC is that one show you have seen at least once in your lifetime. There are memes and videos of people mimicking the characters flooding Instagram. Though it has added to the show's popularity, it seems the makers are not happy with this unauthorized use of their content. Asit Kumarr Modi and Neela Film Productions had moved to the Delhi High Court to stop this and put a ban on the infringement of their rights.

About the Case

The producers of the show moved to the High Court, stating that several websites, channels, and social media pages are using the show's title, dialogues, and even characters to sell unauthorized products and even pornographic content. This is a significant concern for the Delhi HC, which heard the plea and gave a decision in favour of the production house.

According to Bar and Bench, the court orders read, "An order of ex parte ad-interim injunction is passed thereby restraining the defendant nos. 1 to 12 and 14 to 21 (including the John Doe parties), their owners, partners, proprietors, officers, servants, employees, and all others in the capacity of principal or agent, acting for and on their behalf or anyone claiming through, by, or under it, from in any manner, hosting, streaming, broadcasting, transmitting, exhibiting, making available for viewing and downloading, providing access to, and communicating to the public, displaying, uploading, modifying, publishing, updating, sharing (including to its subscribers and users), offering for sale on their websites, through the internet, or in any manner or platform whatsoever, any content, goods, or services, that in any manner whatsoever amounts to infringement/passing off of the plaintiff's copyrighted material/registered trademarks, including, but not limited to, the title, the characters, format, and underlying materials in the said show or anything else, which otherwise amounts to an infringement of the plaintiff's copyright/registered trademarks/passing off of the goods/services offered by the defendants."

About Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah

Being one of the oldest-running TV shows in India, the sitcom has faced its share of highs and lows. There was a time when this show was everyone's favorite, but over time it fell under the well of controversy.

With senior actors leaving the show and accusing the makers of non-payment, and female leads accusing Asit Kumar Modi of sexual advances, TMKOC lost significant viewership. Most recently, we saw Kush Shah quit the show, which made headlines.