Drishyam 3 OTT rights dispute: Delhi HC restrains Aashirwad Cinemas from third-party deals

The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to Amazon Prime Video, restraining Aashirwad Cinemas from entering into any third-party agreements related to the OTT rights of the upcoming film Drishyam 3. The order, passed on April 7 by Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, aims to safeguard Amazon’s claimed contractual rights over future titles in the franchise.

The dispute centres on a 2020 agreement between Amazon Seller Services and Aashirwad Cinemas, under which the streaming platform says it secured priority rights over subsequent films in the Drishyam series. According to Amazon, the agreement included a clause granting it the first opportunity to negotiate licensing terms for any new instalment, effectively restricting the production house from engaging with other parties during that process.

Tensions arose after Aashirwad Cinemas reportedly ended the agreement while discussions were underway and explored alternative offers. Amazon subsequently approached the court seeking protection of its rights, requesting that no third-party deals be finalised for the film’s digital distribution, including its original Malayalam version and other language adaptations.

Taking note of the plea, the court directed that no such rights be created or transferred until further hearings. When the matter came up again on April 20, Amazon informed the court that discussions were ongoing and that a resolution could be reached soon. The case has been posted for the next hearing on May 15, with the interim order set to remain in effect until then.
(With Bar and Bench inputs)