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Not courting any controversies
Ever since Sony Pictures took Sohail Khan’s company to court for copying their film, Hitch (2005), and making Partner (2007), Bollywood has been wary of remaking hits without proper paperwork. However, producer Duncan Kenworthy, doesn’t intend to sue Bollywood plagiarists.
Ever since Sony Pictures took Sohail Khan’s company to court for copying their film,
Hitch
(2005), and making
Partner
(2007), Bollywood has been wary of remaking hits without proper paperwork.
But Nikhil Advani, co-producer of the
Love Actually
(2003) remake,
Salaam-E-Ishq
(2007) has been fortunate. The producer of the Hollywood rom-com, Duncan Kenworthy, is not suing him. He was in the city to promote
The Eagle
that opens in cinemas today.
“I don’t want to come across as someone without a sense of humour. I must admit it is amusing to hear that one’s film has been copied,” concedes the UK-based filmmaker, “Though copying without acquiring rights is a serious issue. I believe the Hindi film (
Salaam-e-Ishq
) flopped; that’s why I’m not pursuing the legal route for copyright infringement. But in the future, I’ll take people remaking my movies without any paperwork to court.”
According to him, unofficially copying a film is equivalent to piracy. “Intellectual Property rights ensure ideas are protected. If that’s not done, then none of us will be able to make a living,” says Kenworthy, adding, “I’m told that Abhishek Bachchan is doing a film based on
The Italian Job
(2003). The producers acquired the rights before they went ahead with the adaptation.”
Meanwhile, the producer is optimistic about
The Eagle
, which will also be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. He feels the film’s story of a hero setting out to restore his family’s lost honour is universal. “It’ll instantly connect with India,” he adds.
