Cine 1 Studios blocks Animal OTT Release, files lawsuit against T-Series in High Court

Animal OTT Release: Cine 1 Studios Private Limited has taken legal action in the Delhi High Court, asserting themselves as co-producers of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Animal'. The production company has filed a lawsuit against T-Series, claiming that T-Series has failed to fulfill its financial obligations related to the film's intellectual property rights.

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According to Cine 1 Studios, the two production houses had previously entered into an agreement to jointly produce Animal. Under this agreement, Cine 1 Studios was entitled to a 35 percent share of the film's profits and intellectual property rights, featuring Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role. However, Cine 1 Studios alleges that T-Series violated several clauses outlined in a 2019 Acquisition Agreement, leading to a breach of contract.

Cine 1 Studios takes Legal action on T-Series

Cine 1 Studios is seeking legal intervention to prevent the release of Animal on Netflix, citing the alleged breach of agreement by T-Series. The lawsuit claims that T-Series incurred expenses related to the production, promotion, and release of the film. Despite the financial contributions made by T-Series, Cine 1 Studios contends that they did not receive any details about the box office revenues generated. Furthermore, they claim that no funds were shared with them as per the agreed-upon profit-sharing arrangement.

In light of these alleged contractual violations, Cine 1 Studios is pursuing legal remedies to rectify the situation and ensure that their rightful share in the profits and intellectual property rights of Animal is honored in accordance with the initial agreement signed with T-Series.

Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appeared for Cine 1 Studios and stated, "Hey (T-Series) have been collecting all the money but I have not been paid a single penny... I have a long relationship with them but they do not respect the agreement. I had the regard for the relationship and the sanctity of the contract, therefore, I did not rush to court."

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Amit Sibal appeared for T-Series. He said that Cine 1 Studios did not invest a single penny in Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Animal and added that according to an amendment made on August 2, 2022, Cine 1 Studios gave up all their intellectual property rights for Rs. 2.6 crore.

He said, "This amendment has been concealed. They got Rs. 2.6 crore. They have not put a pie in the movie and yet got Rs. 2.6 crores."

Nevertheless, upon scrutinizing the amendment, the court sought clarification from Sethi and the briefing counsel regarding their awareness of the amendment.

In response, both parties indicated that they were not aware of it, leading to the court adjourning the case until Thursday.

Cine 1 Studios, in its plea for interim relief, has specifically requested a halt in the film's release on Netflix. This request is contingent upon T-Series adhering to the terms stipulated in the agreement between the two parties.

Sethi said, "In this plaint (in the lawsuit), he has concealed all this and in the very first paragraph he asserts that he is 35 percent owner of the intellectual property rights in the film, and on this basis, he seeks an interim prayer that the release on Netflix should be stopped because he is part owner of the copyright of the film."

About 'Animal'

Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, 'Animal' unfolds as a vengeance-fueled drama featuring an ensemble cast including Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Siddhant Karnick, Triptii Dimri, and more in pivotal roles. Demonstrating immense success, the film emerged as a box office blockbuster, amassing a staggering sum exceeding Rs 900 crore.

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