The Delhi High Court has issued an order to prevent unauthorized streaming of the reality television show "Bigg Boss," noting that the proliferation of websites illegally broadcasting its content would contribute to the problem of piracy.

In a case brought by Viacom18 Media Private Limited, the court acknowledged the immense popularity of the program. It stated that any unlawful distribution of its content, whether from previous or upcoming seasons, would constitute a violation of the plaintiff's copyright, specifically concerning the rights related to broadcasting and reproduction.

The plaintiff informed the court that they broadcast the show in multiple formats, including Hindi, on their television channels and OTT platform. However, several websites using "Bigg Boss" in their domain names are streaming the program without authorization and without the necessary licenses for viewing, which is causing financial harm to their business.

Justice Prathiba M Singh, in a recent interim order, has directed that defendant numbers 1 to 5 are prohibited from broadcasting, telecasting, streaming, retransmitting, or hosting any episode of the "Bigg Boss" program, whether it has already been aired or is expected to be aired in the near future.

The judge further stated that if the plaintiff identifies any additional websites using the name "Bigg Boss" or any other websites unlawfully broadcasting the plaintiff's programs, they should submit an application to include these websites in the legal action. The current injunction will apply to those websites as well.

The court noted that the plaintiff had successfully demonstrated a strong initial case for an ex-parte injunction, and failing to restrain the infringing websites would result in irreparable harm to the plaintiff. The court emphasized that allowing the proliferation of websites using the name "Bigg Boss" would contribute to piracy and unauthorized distribution, resulting in significant financial losses for the plaintiff. The court consequently instructed the relevant authorities to block these infringing websites.

The court also pointed out that the plaintiff's subscription-based OTT platform, JioCinema, could be adversely affected if illegal websites are permitted to broadcast these programs without authorization. This could potentially undermine the platform's subscriber base.

In response to the court's decision, Viacom18's General Counsel, Anil Lale, expressed his appreciation, stating, "The issuance of this dynamic injunction order underscores the court's profound recognition of the inherent value of content and the pressing need to combat piracy in real time. The proactive stance taken by the honorable court provides invaluable support in our continuing fight against piracy." This demonstrates Viacom18's commitment to protecting its content and the efforts to combat the challenges posed by piracy.

Case: Viacom18 Media Private Limited v. Biggbos.live & Ors, CS(COMM) 730/2023, I.A. 20182/2023, 20183/2023, 20184/2023,
20185/2023.