Bombay High Court Protects Castrol India’s Copyrights in Dispute with Influencer Mr. Gaurav Taneja
In a significant judgment dated December 4, 2024, the Hon’ble Bombay High Court granted interim relief to Castrol India Ltd. in a copyright infringement case against social media influencer Mr. Gaurav Taneja, popularly known as “Flying Beast.” The Court’s ruling highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property in brand collaborations and underscores the legal obligations of influencers in such arrangements.
The Dispute
The case revolved around Castrol’s innovative “Castronomy” marketing campaign, designed to showcase the brand’s technological contributions to space exploration. The campaign featured a unique zero-gravity flight experience, meticulously planned and financed by Castrol, to promote its cutting-edge technologies. Influencer Mr. Gaurav Taneja was invited to participate in the campaign to create promotional content.
However, the Plaintiff alleged that Mr. Taneja failed to deliver the agreed upon content, refused to execute a formal Term Sheet, and instead uploaded videos and photographs from the campaign to his social media accounts without authorization. The uploaded content omitted any references to Castrol or the campaign, undermining the Plaintiff’s branding efforts.
Court’s Observations
Mr. Justice R.I. Chagla ruled in favor of Castrol, making several key observations. The Court noted that Castrol had borne all costs associated with the campaign, including the chartered zero-gravity flight and associated logistics. It held that Castrol, as the Producer and first Owner of the campaign’s cinematographic content under the Copyright Act, 1957 was entitled to full protection of its intellectual property. Reference was made to the judgment in Ramesh Sippy v. Shaan Ranjeet Uttamsingh, affirming Castrol’s rights as a Producer of the copyrighted material.
The court found that Mr. Taneja had unauthorizedly exploited the content, referred to as the “Impugned Content” by sharing it publicly without approval. Furthermore, the Defendant’s deliberate omission of any references to Castrol’s brand or campaign in the uploaded materials was seen as a clear breach of trust and legal obligations.
Relief Granted
In its interim order, the Court upheld Castrol’s exclusive copyright over the campaign content, affirming the Company’s ownership and legal protection under the Copyright Act, 1957. The Court directed Mr. Taneja to immediately remove all unauthorized content, including videos and photographs, from his social media platforms. Furthermore, it restrained Mr. Taneja and his associates from reproducing, sharing or using the campaign material in any form without Castrol’s explicit permission. The Court scheduled the next hearing for 20th February 2025 to review compliance with its orders and consider any additional reliefs sought by the Plaintiff.
Conclusion
The Hon’ble Bombay High Court’s decision to uphold Castrol India’s copyright rights highlights the sanctity of intellectual property and the growing legal scrutiny in influencer marketing. By protecting Castrol’s investments and creative efforts, the Court has set a robust benchmark for resolving disputes in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. This case serves as a reminder of the legal protections available to brands and the responsibilities influencers bear in maintaining the integrity of collaborative campaigns.
