Composer Ram Sampath's legal victory over the Roshans in the case of the plagiarised piece of music has not won him many admirers.
Composer Ram Sampath's legal victory over the Roshans in the case of the plagiarised piece of music has not won him many admirers-most in the film industry are backing the Roshans. But the magnitude of the compensation — Rs 2 crores — has come as a wake up call.
Even Hollywood production companies entering the Indian film industry have taken note of the judgement and are planning to make it clear to Bollywood that plagiarism will not be taken too kindly.
"We have decided to take a staunch stand against filmmakers lifting a plot or storyline from any of our movies," says Uday Singh, executive vice president of the Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group. In fact, Columbia Tristar published a notice in film trade magazines two weeks ago, when stories of Ghostbusters and Jerry Maguire being remade in India surfaced, informing those planning the remakes, of dire consequences.
However, while the court's judgement may have gone against the Roshans, most in the film industry believe that the controversy is more a result of contractual lapse on the part of Sony Ericsson.
The general perception seems to be that Sampath put the Roshans in a tight spot by filing the case just before the release of the film. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt says. "From what I have heard, the producer was in a vulnerable position and had to pay." Director Kunal Kohli believes that there was a misunderstanding. "The Roshans had bought the song from Sony Ericsson, without knowing that the real rights were with Ram Sampath. Hence, the Roshans' intentions cannot be doubted."
Chander Lall, attorney for the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA), however, believes that Sampath has done no wrong by filing the case late. "Why should anyone have a problem with when the case was filed? If people think plagiarising is their birthright, then they should be ready to face the consequences too. It's fantastic that intellectual property rights are finally being protected."
The verdict is a reflection of changing times in the industry. Gone are the days when entire plots could be lifted in the name of 'inspiration' and tunes copied to give songs a 'fresh' appeal. As Taran Adarsh puts it, "The Ram Sampath victory signifies good times for those who are honest about their work, but will be a nightmare for those who are nothing short of robbers."
g_aniruddha@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}