MUMBAI: It’s been more than a fortnight since PepsiCo first objected to ‘Youngistaan’ as the title of a film jointly produced by MSM Motion Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani-owned Pooja Pictures.
The upcoming film slotted to release on 28 March has been the cause of the dispute as PepsiCo objected to its registered trademark Youngistaan being violated by the co-producers by choosing to go ahead with Youngistaan as the film’s title.
In today’s hearing, in Justice A K Pathak’s court, the two parties made their own set of proposals (three each). As reported earlier, PepsiCo has sought an order from the court “restraining them (producers) from launching their movie under the impugned title ‘Youngistaan’ which is nothing but a blatant imitation of the plaintiff’s (Pepsi) registered trademark”.
One of the proposals made by MSM Motion Pictures and Pooja Pictures was that they will play a disclaimer/give credit to the cola giant’s 2008 campaign with the same name.
“In today’s hearing, both parties didn’t agree on any settlement and hence, the case will be argued tomorrow,” says a representative from PepsiCo’s law firm Singh&Singh.
The case was first listed on 12 February in Delhi High Court. The hearing on 24 February was postponed as the Judge was on leave and then on 3 March, the case was adjourned as MSM and Pooja Pictures sought more time.
Singh&Singh, the law firm representing PepsiCo, had sent a legal notice to the co-producers of the film in January against the use of Youngistaan as the title of their film.
Notwithstanding the objections raised by PepsiCo, MSM Motion Pictures and Pooja Pictures, on 6 February, announced the launch of their upcoming film ‘Youngistaan’ featuring Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma, Boman Irani and late Farooq Sheikh.
