HC to decide on media copyrights

A decision on the right to sell the electronic media copyrights of the movie Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, which threw up the alleged Bollywood-underworld nexus, will be taken by the Bombay High Court following a petition filed by one of the financers.

A decision on the right to sell the electronic media copyrights of the movie Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, which threw up the alleged Bollywood-underworld nexus, will be taken by the Bombay High Court following a petition filed by one of the financers.

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Mega Bollywood Private Limited, which partially financed the Salman Khan — Preity Zinta-starrer and had acquired the worldwide rights of the film, filed a petition seeking a restraint on the court receiver from signing the agreement for electronic media rights for seven years beginning November 2012.

The high court has asked the court receiver, former investigating officer Shankar Kamble, not to sell the electronic media copyrights till it passes a final order on November 30. The petition said the rights are being sold for a pittance.

Senior counsel, Virag Tulzapurkar, while arguing for the firm, said the electronic media copyrights could not be sold since they had the worldwide rights.

Sayaji Nangre, counsel for producer of the film Nazim Rizvi, said the company did not have the right to challenge the agreement. The special MCOCA court in 2001 rejected an application by the company opposing the appointment of the court receiver. “They have not challenged that order (of the special court) and hence it attains finality,” argued Nangre.