Key facts
- Madras HC stays Telugu OTT release of Drishyam 3
- Film stars Mohanlal; part of major Malayalam franchise
- Dispute centres on dubbing and distribution rights
- Original Malayalam film already released
The Indian Express reports that the Madras High Court has halted the OTT release of the Telugu-dubbed version of Mohanlal's Drishyam 3, following a legal dispute over dubbing and distribution rights. The court issued a stay order after a petitioner challenged the rights held by another party to distribute or stream the film in the Telugu language.
Drishyam 3 is the latest instalment in the hugely popular Malayalam franchise starring Mohanlal, which has a massive fan base across South India, including among Telugu-speaking audiences. The earlier films in the series were blockbusters both theatrically and on OTT, making the Telugu dubbed version of the third part a highly anticipated release.
Rights disputes over regional-language dubbed versions of major films have become increasingly common as OTT platforms aggressively acquire streaming rights across language markets. Until the Madras HC resolves the matter, the Telugu OTT release of Drishyam 3 remains on hold, leaving a large section of fans without access to the film in their preferred language.