Sun TV Network has approached the Madras High Court with a copyright infringement case against the Chennai Super Kings, accusing the franchise of using content from its films without permission in a promotional
campaign.
The dispute centres on a promotional video released by CSK to unveil the team’s new jersey ahead of the Indian Premier League season. According to the production house, the video featured audio tracks, background scores and dialogues from the films Jailer, Jailer 2 and Coolie. Sun TV Network claims these elements were used without prior authorisation.
After the video surfaced on the team’s social media platforms, the studio issued a copyright strike. The franchise subsequently removed the original clip and later uploaded a revised version with different background music.
In its petition before the court, Sun TV Network argued that the material used in the promotional campaign is protected under copyright law and cannot be reproduced without approval from the rights holder. The company further alleged that the content was used in a commercial context, noting that the jersey showcased in the video was being marketed as merchandise priced at Rs 2,399.
The contested promotional clip quickly caught the attention of fans online, many of whom recognised the music and dialogue references from the popular Tamil films. Following this, the production house sent a formal legal notice to the team on March 1, asking them to stop using the material and to halt further distribution of the video.
During the hearing on March 13, senior counsel J Ravindran, appearing for Sun TV Network, informed the court that the franchise had already stopped using the disputed content after receiving the notice. According to The Hindu, he stated, “CSK Limited had stopped using the copyright materials after the plaintiff had sent a mail to it on March 1, 2026 highlighting their unauthorised use.”
The production company also submitted a copy of its agreement with composer Anirudh Ravichander to establish that it holds the rights to commercially exploit the music used in the films.
During the proceedings, Sun TV Network’s legal team stressed the need to prevent similar incidents in the future and urged the court to ensure that the cricket franchise refrains from using copyrighted material without permission.
The court acknowledged the claims made by the production house as well as the fact that the team removed the content after receiving the notice. The matter remains under consideration, and the court will continue to hear arguments before deciding whether further restrictions or penalties are necessary.
