One man's food is another man's poison.
This saying couldn't be further from truth in the current scenario of Hindi Cinema. Today when there are well above 250 films releasing every year in Bollywood, finding a unique concept can be a task, and every now and then, there are claims of copyright being made. The latest film blamed for copyright infringement is Dabangg. Emami has slapped a legal notice to Arbaaz Khan Productions Private Limited for using their brand's name 'Zandu Balm' in the song 'Munni Badnaam' from the film. The company has claimed that the brand name 'Zandu Balm' was used in the song without their consent.
Emami has asked now asked the producers to either withdraw the song or delete the brand name from it. For more information refer-http://www.jhankar.pk/news-detail/Bollywood-News/-'Zandu-Balm' manufacturer-sues-Dabangg-producers.html
Another Salman Khan movie that was caught in a copyright infringement issue was Veer where the makers of the film were accused of lifting some concepts from a certain book without any approval from its author Pavan Choudary. The plaintiff had claimed that the idea and concept that India should not be a 'Sone Ki Chidiya' but 'Baaj' (hawk) was almost identically copied and adapted from his book 'Trilogy of Wisdom' and that the makers of Veer were using the same for their commercial gains.
Even Akshay Kumar's hit comedy Housefull was stopped from being broad casted on Indian television because of copyright issues over the song 'Apni Toh Jaise Taise'.
Funny, isn't it? We have taken to plagiarism so easily. Wasn't it enough that we made Indian versions of foreign films that now we have started picking out ideas from our own market and that too without acknowledging them in the credits? Where is our cinema heading towards? I am not against using
clips, lyrics or any material for that matter from other sources provided one gives them the credit of the same. There is nothing wrong in doing so. Here the issue of ethics and morality comes which every film producer/director should abide by.
We already have a separate Copyright Commission for Bollywood instituted by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal which has on board highly prominent people from the industry. I just hope that this organisation works efficiently to curb such kind of violations fom happening. I know I am being very positive in my attitude for hoping that such kind of issues don't turn up too often but what the hell, I am a human being and I am allowed to dream :) !!!
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