The Madras High Court has extended till September 4 an interim injunction restraining Film Employees’ Federation of South India (FEFSI) from interfering with the production and shooting of reality television show Bigg Boss season 2 due to a dispute with the producers over supply of food to the cast and crew.
Justice P.D. Audikesavalu extended the interim order after hearing the counsel for FEFSI, who said that he required time to file a petition seeking rejection of the plaint on the ground that EndemolShine India (ESI), the proprietory right holder of the reality show, should have approached the competition commission and not filed a civil suit.
Further stating that the shooting of the reality show was taking place at EVP film city situated on the outskirts of Chennai, he claimed that the civil jurisdiction of the High Court also could not be invoked by the proprietory right holders of the show seeking to keep the members of FEFSI away from the entire shooting process.
When the judge wanted to know what right the members of FEFSI had to claim that no one but their members should be engaged for the shootings, counsel replied that the plaintiff had entered into an agreement with the federation.
The judge ordered production of the agreement on the next date of hearing and adjourned the case to September 4.
It was Justice N. Sathish Kumar who had granted the injunction initially on June 29 after holding that ESI had made out a prima facie case in its favour.
He also said the court’s refusal to pass interim orders might cause irreparable loss to the applicant which had invested huge amount of money to shoot the reality show.
In its plaint, ESI stated that it had initially engaged members of FEFSI, which was an apex body of various south Indian film and television technicians’ associations, for catering services at the shooting spot of the reality show.
However, on finding that the quality of the food was not up to the mark and that it was also unhygienic, it discontinued the services of FEFSI and began ordering food from other caterers. Agitated over it, the federation was attempting to stall the entire shooting process, the plaint read.
