The upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season has sparked an unexpected legal battle off the field. Sun TV Network Limited recently filed a civil suit against MS Dhoni-starrer Chennai Super Kings Limited in the Madras High Court to prevent the cricket franchise from using specific movie songs in promotional videos.
The controversy revolves around the unauthorized use of music from Rajinikanth’s movies. Sun TV Network wants to stop CSK from using tracks from Jailer, Coolie, and Jailer 2. Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthy is scheduled to hear the television network’s interim injunction plea on Friday regarding the issue.
CSK Sparks Controversy with MS Dhoni Promotional Video
The dispute began when the Chennai Super Kings launched their new jersey for the upcoming tournament. MS Dhoni arrived in the city to participate in the launch event. The franchise created a promotional video featuring his grand entry during the jersey presentation.
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Notably, the social media team added the popular “Hukum” song from the movie Jailer to the video. Sun Pictures, which operates under the Sun TV Network banner, originally produced the hit Rajinikanth film.
The unapproved use of their copyrighted music quickly caught the attention of the production company. It is worth mentioning that Sun TV Network Limited owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
Sun TV Network Limited has filed a civil suit in the #MadrasHighCourt to restrain Chennai Super Kings Limited from the using the songs from Rajinikanth starrer Jailer, Coolie and Jailer 2 in their promos. Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthy is scheduled to hear the television…
— Mohamed Imranullah S (@imranhindu) March 13, 2026
Kavya Maran Takes Legal Action Against the Rival Franchise
Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran, who is closely associated with the Sun Network business, took the matter seriously. They filed a formal copyright claim against the Chennai-based franchise.
The legal challenge quickly turned the promotional mistake into a controversy. Facing immediate legal pressure and a court case in Chennai, the Chennai Super Kings management decided to back down.
They quickly removed the controversial promotional video from all their official social media platforms. The franchise later re-released the exact same footage after replacing the copyrighted audio with different background music.
MS Dhoni Begins IPL 2026 Preparations Amid Legal Tension Between Franchises
Despite the ongoing legal drama between the owners, players remain focused on their cricket preparations. MS Dhoni has already started practicing in the nets for the tournament.
Several pictures and videos of his current training sessions are consistently going viral among cricket fans across the internet. The Indian Premier League 2026 tournament is expected to begin on March 28, and the final will be played on May 31.
Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule. Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 opener in Bengaluru on March 28. Chennai Super Kings will begin their campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 30.
The upcoming matches between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings will carry extra tension. Fans of both teams are already discussing the off-field clash on social media. While the legal teams argue in the Madras High Court, cricket supporters are preparing for the battles on the field.
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