Delhi High Court Issues Notice In RJ's Copyright Suit Against Riteish Deshmukh-Starrer 'Mastiii 4'

Radio jockey and popular content creator Ashish Sharma has moved the Delhi High Court, accusing the makers of the Hindi film Mastiii 4 of lifting a scene from one of his popular Instagram skits without his permission.

Sharma has sought a permanent injunction, damages and rendition of accounts, claiming that a scene in the film closely mirrors his audio-visual skit titled “Shaq Karne Ka Nateeja”, which he posted on Instagram in January 2024.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, which heard Sharma's plea for ad-interim relief on January 6, 2026, issued notice to the film's producers.

According to the suit, the film reproduces the skit's storyline, character interactions, sequence of events and even its comic punchline. Sharma claims he is the sole author and copyright owner of the skit, which has crossed 11 million views on Instagram.

The film has been produced by Maruti International along with other production houses.

The court noted that Mastiii 4 had already been released in theatres on November 21, 2025, and is slated for an OTT release on January 16, 2026. In view of this, the judge said it would be appropriate to issue short notice to ensure the producers are heard before any interim order is passed.

Sharma has told the court that he is a well-known content creator with a sizeable following on Instagram and YouTube, and that the alleged copying amounts to a deliberate violation of his copyright and moral rights.

The matter will be taken up next on January 13, 2026.