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Legal Victory for Nikhil Dwivedi as Bombay High Court Quashes IMPPA Award Against Saffron Magicworks In a significant legal development for filmmaker and producer Nikhil Dwivedi’s production house, Saffron Magicworks, the Bombay High Court has set aside an award issued by the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) on July 3, 2026. The decision marks an important development in the dispute surrounding the award and brings the present proceedings before the court to a close, subject to the rights and remedies available to the parties under law. Bombay High Court’s Ruling According to a statement issued by Saffron Magicworks, the Bombay High Court set aside the award passed by IMPPA’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). The court also disposed of the suit, noting that no further issues remained to be considered in the pending applications. The latest ruling follows an interim order passed on September 9, 2026, by Justice Arif S. Doctor, under which IMPPA was restrained from declaring Saffron Magicworks a defaulter on the basis of the disputed award. During the earlier proceedings, the counsel appearing for Defendant No. 2 had also submitted that the party would not act upon the impugned award. Saffron Magicworks had approached the High Court challenging the award and seeking protection against any adverse consequences arising from its implementation. Significance of the Court’s Decision In its latest order dated October 23, 2026, Justice Arif S. Doctor considered IMPPA’s position in the matter and observed that the association could not claim to be aggrieved by the setting aside of an award issued by its own committee. The court also recorded that IMPPA had not appeared in the proceedings despite having been served with notices. The development comes amid a wider disagreement between Saffron Magicworks and IMPPA over the interpretation and public representation of the court’s earlier directions. Saffron Magicworks had raised concerns regarding statements made by IMPPA about the proceedings, particularly in relation to whether the association had been restrained by the court. The production house maintained that the September 9 order expressly prevented IMPPA from declaring it a defaulter on the basis of the award dated July 3, 2026. Legal Representation and Further Proceedings The dispute has extended beyond the original award to include questions surrounding the interpretation and communication of the court’s directions. With the award now set aside, the latest order represents a key development in Saffron Magicworks’ legal challenge to the proceedings initiated through IMPPA’s dispute resolution mechanism. The court has disposed of the suit and the pending applications, while keeping the rights, contentions and remedies available to the parties under law open for future consideration. Saffron Magicworks was represented by advocates Rashmin Khandekar, Dhruva Gandhi, Madhu Gadodia, Vivek Dwivedi, Vinita Dandekar and Aryan Garg, instructed by Anand and Naik. Kartikeya Desai, Chief Legal Officer of Saffron Magicworks, was also present during the proceedings.