Copyright issue: Hearing on 'Desiboyz' adjourned

The lawyer of the Bollywood director Rohit Dhawan today told the Bombay High Court that he would file reply to the petition by a Latur-based script writer claiming copyright on the title and the story of the Dhawan's upcoming film, Desiboyz.

Justice AM Thipsay of the high court, who heard the petition today, then adjourned the hearing to November 9.

Shyam Devkatte, the petitioner, claims he had registered the title Desiboyz with the Film Writers' Association in September 2009.

"Rohit has only changed an alphabet in the title...I had also written a script which I forwarded to two associates of Rohit's. Recently I saw the promo of Rohit's movie with the same title and I suspect that the script too would be similar," Devkatte has said.

He also claims that he tried contacting Rohit, who is the son of veteran director David Dhawan, by phone, but was abused and threatened.

On October 14, Devkatte lodged a complaint with suburban Amboli police, and further filed a private complaint before a metropolitan magistrate against Rohit and the producers of the film under the Copyright Act.

But as no action was taken either by the police or the lower court, Devkatte moved the high court, seeking criminal action against Rohit and the producers under the Copyright Act and under Indian Penal Code for cheating, fraud and criminal intimidation.

The petition also seeks a stay to the film's release, apart from a compensation.

Desiboyz stars Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and Deepika Padukone. It is Rohit Dhawan's directorial debut, and slated to release on November 25.