Lock Upp gets SC breather, apex court refuses to stop streaming of Kangana Ranaut's reality show

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain an appeal challenging a Telangana High Court order which set aside the ad-interim injunction granted by the trial court against the release, exhibition and publishing of the reality show Lock Upp.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna asked the petitioner Pride Media to approach the trial court for an early hearing of the injunction plea.

"It will be open to the petitioner to move the trial court for expeditious disposal of the plea," the bench said.

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The matter was then dismissed as withdrawn.

Senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan appeared for the petitioner.

Pride Media had moved the top court against the high court's February 26 order which set aside the ad interim injunction granted by the trial court on February 23 regarding releasing, exhibiting and publishing the series.

Pride Media contended that they came up with the story of 'The Jail' and prepared a script with 22 celebrities.

It said that the reality show was for 100 days, and they registered the story with the 'Screen Writers Association.'

However, they could not produce the show due to lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions, and by the time they geared up to mobilise production of the show, they came across the 'Lock Upp' reality show.

The high court had said that Alt Balaji had already produced the show and also spent huge amounts on marketing and the balance of convenience is in their favour.

"As per the averments, the concept of 'The Jail' was registered way back in the year 2018 but could not produce the film due to the lockdown and Covid situation, but the team of reality show of Lockupp already produced the show and also spent huge amount on marketing in the month of February, 2022 and intended to live streaming the show on February 27 and thus, the balance of convenience is in their favour.

"Unless and until it is established that the concept of both shows is similar, and in fact, the concept of 'Lockupp reality show' was copied from the story of the concept of 'The Jail', it cannot be said that it will prejudice the rights of the respondents," the high court had said.

Lock Upp is hosted by Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut and is being streamed on MX Player & ALTBalaji.