Rakesh Roshan strikes Rs 2-cr deal; Krazzy to release today

MUMBAI: Rakesh Roshan���s movie company Film Kraft has struck a Rs 2-crore deal with independent music director Ram Sampath in return of allowing to release the Hrithik-starrer Krazzy 4 without any cuts on Friday. Mr Roshan faced an embarrassing situation on Thursday when the Bombay High Court ordered him to delete two songs from the movie on the grounds that they are a copy of Mr Sampath���s music.

The verdict would have dealt a body blow to Mr Roshan as the two songs in question are ���item numbers��� featuring Hrithik and Shah Rukh Khan. Seeing no other way out, Mr Roshan decided to give in to Mr Sampath���s claim of Rs 2 crore and buy out the music rights to release the songs as well as allow the sale of audio CDs and DVDs in the market.

Ram Sampath, the music director of the Sony Ericsson���s ���Thump��� ad, had gone to court against the Roshans saying that the songs are a direct lift from his ad. ET spoke to Rakesh Roshan on the deal and he said: ���When I saw Hrithik���s ���Thump��� ad for Sony Ericsson mobile, I thought I could use some portion of the theme in my film Krazzy 4. In fact, I had requested Sony Ericsson for the same and they wrote to me on December 18, 2007, granting me permission to use the ���Thump��� tune. Accordingly, with certain modifications, we recorded the 5.5-minute song.���

The music of Krazzy 4 was released in February across satellite channels and in the audio CD format. ���I got a notice on March 24 from Ram Sampath���s solicitors stating that he was the original holder of the music rights.���

Mr Roshan said when he contacted Sony Ericsson, they admitted to the oversight. He said even in the court, the company did not come forward to claim their copyright.

On April 4, Ram Sampath moved the high court, which on Thursday passed an order stating the tune was similar and ordered Mr Roshan not to release the two songs.

���I being a responsible filmmaker had to agree to Ram Sampath���s demands and compensated him with Rs 2 crore,��� added Mr. Roshan. Mr Roshan is now contemplating possible action against Sony Ericsson but he declined to talk about it.