Universal City Studios Secures Legal Victory Against Playimdb.Com and Others for Copyright Infringement
In a significant legal development, the Delhi High Court has issued an ad-interim injunction in favor of Universal City Studios Productions LLLP, a renowned entertainment company, against Playimdb.Com and other rogue websites accused of infringing copyright by facilitating unauthorized streaming of cinematograph films. The ruling was delivered by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on May 8, 2026, in response to the plaintiff's urgent plea to protect its intellectual property rights.
Universal City Studios, known for producing acclaimed films such as "A Beautiful Mind" and "Oppenheimer," approached the court seeking protection against the defendants who allegedly exploited IMDb's domain structure to mislead users and provide unauthorized streams of copyrighted content. The court found that the defendants' activities amounted to a prima facie violation of the plaintiff's copyright, causing irreparable harm and dilution of exclusive rights.
The modus operandi of the defendants involved instructing users to modify legitimate IMDb URLs by inserting "play" before "imdb," thereby redirecting users to rogue domains like playimdb.com and streamimdb.ru, which host unauthorized streams. Justice Gedela observed that such actions reflect deliberate and dishonest adoption intended to exploit IMDb's goodwill.
In his judgment, Justice Gedela emphasized the balance of convenience in favor of Universal City Studios, given the irreparable injury caused by continued copyright infringement. The court directed domain name registrars, ISPs, and government authorities to comply with the injunction and block access to the infringing websites.
The plaintiff's cinematograph films are protected under the Copyright Act, 1957, as "works," and the unauthorized streaming and hosting by the defendants were held to violate the exclusive rights of the copyright owner. The court's directions included locking and suspending domain registrations, providing registrant details to the plaintiff, and blocking access to the infringing websites.
The court also granted Universal City Studios the liberty to communicate details of any newly discovered infringing websites during the pendency of the suit for immediate action. This judgment underscores the judiciary's commitment to safeguarding intellectual property rights and curbing the proliferation of unauthorized streaming platforms.
The case highlights the ongoing battle between content creators and rogue online platforms that facilitate copyright infringement. Legal experts anticipate that this ruling will serve as a precedent for similar cases, reinforcing the importance of protecting creative works in the digital age.
Bottom line:-
Copyright infringement by rogue websites utilizing IMDb's domain structure to mislead users and facilitate unauthorized streaming of copyrighted content - ad-interim injunction granted to protect intellectual property rights of the plaintiff.
Statutory provision(s):
Copyright Act, 1957 Sections 14(d), 51; Civil Procedure Code, 1908 Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2
Universal City Studios Productions LLLP v. Playimdb.Com, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc id # 2898024
