High Court Shock: Drishyam 3 OTT Rights Blocked

The Delhi High Court has given an important interim decision in the dispute between Amazon Prime Video and Mohanlal’s banner Aashirvad Cinemas over the OTT rights of Drishyam 3.

The court has clearly said that Aashirvad Cinemas cannot sell or sign any OTT deal for Drishyam 3 with any third party for now. This includes the Malayalam version, dubbed versions, and even remake rights. In simple terms, the OTT rights are “on hold” until the issue is sorted.

The problem started because Amazon claims it already has a prior agreement from 2020. According to that deal, Amazon had the “first right” to negotiate streaming rights for any future Drishyam films. This is called a first-refusal or first-option clause.

But Aashirvad Cinemas reportedly ended that agreement during discussions and started talking to other platforms. Amazon says this is a violation of the contract and approached the court.

At this stage, the court has supported Amazon’s argument and given a temporary order to protect its claimed rights. So, until further hearings, no new OTT deal can be finalized.

Both sides have now told the court that they are trying to settle the matter privately. The next hearing is on May 15, and this temporary restriction will continue until then.

This situation shows how important OTT rights have become today. For many films, digital deals bring in a big portion of revenue even before release. Because of that, even one clause in an old contract can create major complications and big revenue losses.

It also raises a practical question. If this issue is not resolved quickly, it could even delay the release of the film.