If you think that only Films have problems in releasing in theatres then you are mistaken. Even a big platform like Netflix is on the hanging to release their upcoming docu-series named Bad Boy Billionaires. The series has already faced stay order in the original release which was set on 2nd September 2020. Now a big development in the case comes from Telangana HC as they have demanded to watch an episode of the show to further decide that if the series is perfectly fine for release.
All this happened due to one of the episode featuring Ramalinga Raju who is the former
Satyam Computers Services Limited Chairman. Raju had filed a petition in the court demanding a stay in it’s release. He claimed that the series is showing him in a bad light plus is going tarnish his image in the other countries as well. He also put the point of infringement of his rights of a fair-trial and privacy.
Netflix argued this with several valid points of their own. Their representative in this case is Neeraj Kishan Kaul who disputed by saying that there is nothing extra in the show which hasn’t already been out in public. He mentioned that putting a stay order in the release date just by watching the trailer of the show is actually “an attack on the freedom of expression of the writers & filmmakers.” Furthermore he pointed out that since Mr. Ramalinga Raju has been convicted, the show wouldn’t have any impact on his case.
The bench which consisted of two judge – Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijayse who has the permission to watch the episode beforehand asked that if representatives of Raju should also be allowed to sit and watch the episode. This was discouraged by Netflix as they said that if this is given permission then future documentaries will have to face this issue everytime where people would be asking permission to see it beforehand which will make a bad remark. He ended by saying that staying the release is a violation of freedom of expression and freedom of press.
Netflix isn’t only having problems with Telangana HC who have furthered the hearing date on the issue till 25th September 2020, as they are still into a discussion with the Bihar Court to vacate the stay on the release date. Since representatives of Netflix went to the Patna High Court to ease the decision made my Bihar Local court, they were left disheartened as the HC cleared the matter by asking Netflix to pursue the matter in the lower court since the decision has been passed by them.
The backstory of this being that Sahara India filed a petition against the show that Subrata Roy’s name shouldn’t be used in their upcoming docu-series to which Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Netflix went to Supreme Court who on the other hand dismissed their plea. To counter this Sahara India’s representative Vikas Singh argued that if the decision has been passed by a civil judge then there is no question of the opposition to go to a higher level court. Patna High Court also granted Netflix representatives to pursue the matter in the lower court.
Now it seems like Netflix has to wait longer for the release of their already controversial show which also features Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Subrata Roy and Mehul Choksi.
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