Madras High Court blocks ‘Batwara 1947’ piracy, box office jumps 135%

The Madras High Court on August 14 granted interim protection to Sunny Deol's 'Batwara 1947' against online piracy. Justice K. Surender ordered internet service providers and websites to block unauthorised copies, ABP Live reported. The court noted that delays could cause unrecoverable losses to the rights holder. The next hearing is scheduled for September 11.

The film rebounded at the box office on its second day, earning Rs 13.50 crore net in India, a 135% jump from its opening day, according to Sacnilk data cited by Times of India and Hindustan Times. Total India net collection stands at Rs 19.25 crore, with worldwide gross at Rs 26.41 crore. The film clashed with Emraan Hashmi's 'Awarapan 2' and Marvel's 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'.

The court also stipulated that Aamir Khan Productions, the film's producer, must compensate any legitimate businesses affected by the blocking order. The film, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, also stars Preity Zinta and Shabana Azmi.