High Court clears decks for release of Vijay-starrer 'Mersal'

The court had previously restrained the producers of the film from using the word "Mersal" in its title on a civil suit filed last month.

The suit was filed by A Rajendran of 'Film Factori' production house, who submitted that he had commenced production of 'Mersalaitan' in August last year, but was shocked to know that there was another film titled 'Mersal.'

Vacating the interim injunction, Justice Anitha Sumanth said the "entire case of the applicant is based on the premise of probabilities and assumptions - assumed right to the title, assumed prejudice to reputation caused by non-existent use of the film title and assumed deception by the respondents."

"The prayer, for passing off simpliciter, cannot be sustained in the facts and circumstances of this case," the judge said and dismissed the original application.

The counsel for the Producers Thenandal Studios Ltd and Sri Thenandal Films argued that the word 'Mersal' is a generic word in Tamil over which none could claim exclusive rights.

The registration of a title with the Tamil Nadu Tamil Film Producers Council is solely to serve the purpose of avoiding duplication of titles and does not create any other enforceable right over such title, the counsel said.