Filmi cases, a publicity stunt?

MUMBAI: The movie Action Replayy, which released on Friday, was saved from delay by its lead actor Akshay Kumar who, at the last moment, intervened between its producer Vipul Shah and Eros International. Eros, which sought Rs 6.56 crore dfrom Shah for their earlier joint ventures, had moved high court seeking a stay on the movie’s release.

A few months ago, director Milan Luthria had sleepless nights before the release of his film Once Upon A Time. “Why do people who have issues with a film, move court when it has reached its climactic moment?” he asked.

Film writer Dilip Thakur told TOI that most cases filed just before a movie’s release appear to be more of a publicity stunt. Thakur said, "In the case of Dabangg, when a case was filed for using ‘Zandu Balm’ in a song, it looked like a publicity stunt to me. Later, we saw the same song being used to endorse the product on television promos. Then in Houseful, a song was lifted from the old hit Lawaris. Nothing came out of it, but the film got huge coverage in the media."

Senior lawyer Shailesh Kamdar said, “The new generation is more alert about their rights about intellectual property (copyright and so on). Therefore, more litigation are landing up in courts."

Advocate Vineet Naik, who represented Milan Luthria during the Once Upon A Time, controversy said: "If the litigation is filed before the completion of a film or immediately after it is announced, there are chances that the court may throw out the case on the grounds of premature litigation, but it is also a fact that by many litigation are filed just to pressurize the producers and directors."

Another senior lawyer Vikram Trivedi, Partner of Solicitor firm Manilal Kher Ambalal and Company, though, countered: "Not all the litigation are filed to seek publicity. Many have merits too, like when it comes to a serious issues related to copyright."