Category: Hindi

MUMBAI: Two years after the release of Singh Is Kinng, its distributor Viacom18 has been sued in the US on grounds of copyright infringement by the American Rights Management Company.

According to the lawsuit filed yesterday in New York District Court, the company has claimed that the Viacom-distributed film Singh is King is a rip-off of the 1929 short story Madame La Gimp made by Damon Runyon.

The film has also been copied from films like Frank Capra‘s Lady For A Day, A Pocket Full Of Miracles and Jackie Chan‘s Miracles, the lawsuit claims.

According to the complaint, the company obtained rights from Sheldon Abend‘s Author‘s Research Company in 2000. 

Abend was an esteemed literary agent who represented the estates of authors including Runyon, George Bernard Shaw, Tennessee Williams, David O. Selznick and many others.

In the 1980s, Abend took on MCA, Alfred Hitchcock, and Jimmy Stewart in court after the classic film Rear Window was shown on television.

Abend controlled the underlying short story that served as the basis of the film, and the case culminated in a landmark 1990 Supreme Court decision that established the so-called ‘Abend Rule‘ that deals with the continued distribution of a derivative work during the copyright renewal period of the underlying work.

Since Abend emerged victorious in that case, there haven‘t been many lawsuits targeting distribution of derivative works, but that could be changing.

In 2008, the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust sued DreamWorks and Steven Spielberg over Disturbia, a film that was either inspired by or directly stolen from Rear Window.

The litigation has been stuck in the pre-trial phase since the case was filed. In early April, the plaintiff filed a memorandum with the New York District Court on why the case should be heard.

In its lawsuit in the Singh Is Kinng case, the American Rights Management Company has claimed damages to the tune of $30,000 per infringement, and/or $150,000 per willful infringement.

Apart from Viacom18 and Studio18, companies like The Indian Film Company, Vipul Shah‘s (producer) Blockbuster Entertainment, Reliance MediaWorks, Big Home Video, MTV India and Viva Entertainment – involved with the film in various ways – have also been named in the lawsuit.

Produced by Vipul Shah and directed by Anees Bazmee, Singh Is Kinng stars Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Sonu Sood and Kirron Kher.
 

MUMBAI: Mukta Arts Ltd will release its next film Hello Darling on 9 July. Presented by Malpix Pictures, the film is being produced by Ashok Ghai and directed by Manoj Tiwari.

The film is the story of three beautiful women paying same coins to men while tackling a sexual harassment case.

The film stars Gul Panag, Eesha Koppikar and Celina Jaitley along with Javed Jaffery and Divya Dutta.

Other credits include music by Preetam, lyrics by Shabbir Ahmed, choreography by Remo, story by Pankaj and Sachin who wrote the blockbuster comedies Apna Sapna Money Money and Kya Kool Hain Hum and cinemtography by Ravi Yadav.

MUMBAI: Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd, a member of Reliance ADA Group, has acquired an undisclosed majority shareholding in the Los Angeles and London-based international film sales company IM Global, promoted by Stuart Ford.

Ford‘s holding company, Ancramdale, will, however, retain a significant equity position in the business and the 40-year-old LA-based Brit will continue as CEO under a multi-year deal.

In February this year, the two companies formed a sales alliance that saw IM Global handle Reliance‘s prolific Hindi film output internationally – a groundbreaking arrangement in terms of a mainstream Hollywood player distributing Bollywood cinema. 

The successful sales alliance has now transpired into Reliance acquiring a majority stake in IM Global. This extended relationship between the two companies ensures an increased capability for independent film financing by
IM Global, an expansion into sales and financing for top tier non-English language cinema as well as selective rights acquisitions for India and other Asian markets.

Said IM Global CEO Ford, “After a phenomenal first three years, the company is ready to move onto the next stage of its strategic growth. I simply could not wish for a more dynamic partner to help nurture that progression. We‘re also looking forward to support Reliance extend its presence in Hollywood and the worldwide film community.”
 

MUMBAI: So popular has the story of the Mumbai terror attack become that numerous films are being made on the subject.

The first to release is Ashok Chakra – A Tribute To Real Heroes (earlier titled Total 10), a film that is ready with its verdict on the Pakistani gunman – that Kasab should be hanged.

Ashok Chakra – A Tribute To Real Heroes is based on the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai in which Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone survivor of the terror attack, is the protagonist. The story of the film, however, has some interesting twists. Kasab‘s character in the film is with a different name, Shahab, portrayed by Rajan Varma.

While the real convict Kasab would appeal the higher court after the pronouncement of death sentence against him, the film has given its verdict on Shahab as he is hanged in the end. Utters the protagonist, “Hang me without the hood so that my people (specially youngsters) see my plight and suffering.”

The film has invoked strong reactions within and outside the industry. But the film‘s director, Surinder Suri, is also ready with his justification. He claims that the film has nothing controversial.

Ashok Chakra – A Tribute To Real Heroes traces the journey of the terrorists, their entry into Mumbai and the happenings during the attack. The film has been shot on actual locations in Mumbai with a budget of Rs 30 million.
 

MUMBAI: I Am Kalam, a feature film inspired by ex-President of India Abdul J Kalam, is scheduled to be screened in the Marche du section at 63rd Cannes Film Festival to be held from 12 to 23 May.

The film revolves around the trials and tribulations faced by a small boy who is yearning for education and is working to realise his cherished dreams. It has been directed by debutant Nila Madhab Panda in his quest to bring alive the topical genre of the late Satyajit Ray‘s cinema after decades.

Produced by the Smile Foundation, one of the leading National development organisations of India, the film aims at sensitising the masses about the quest of a child to nurture his dreams.

Says Smile Foundation GM Resources Anurag Bhatnagar, “The main objective of producing I am Kalam is to highlight how a child aspires to dream in spite of all the hardships of the life. Furthermore, Indian Government has recently passed the bill on Right to Education. But the act will remain a mere legislation unless and until the privileged mass come forward proactively for the cause. This film is an effort to appeal to all the privileged mass to come forward so as to make this act a reality on the ground as well.”

The film has also been officially selected for Vienna International Children‘s Film Festival.
 

MUMBAI: Fearing possible losses that it could incur, producers and exhibitors connected to the Malayalam film industry have decided to lift the ban on releases of new films.

The release of Katha Thudarum, which had got delayed due to the ban, will now release on 7 May. Alexander the Great, the Mohanlal starrer, will hit the silver screens on 5 May and Mammootty‘s Pokkiriraja will open on 6 May.

At a meeting with Kerala Culture Minister M.A. Baby, all the stakeholders of the industry decided to appoint a four-member government committee to which all concerned could meet and convey their problems in writing. The matters would be heard on 12 May.

On 16 April, the state government decided to intervene after the Kerala Film Producers‘ Association decided that no new Malayalam film would be allowed to start shooting as a protest against rising production costs. Further, exhibitors threatened to close down theatres if the stalemate between the producers and Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) was not resolved.

The producers association is at logger heads with the AMMA to cut production costs but without any positive results.

Though the new films release issue was settled on Tuesday, no solution could be found for commencing shooting of new films. 

One of the highlights of the festival will be a retrospective of films of David Lean.

Five films are being screened in the documentaries and short films section. This includes a documentary by Sharathchandran, the award-winning documentary-maker who recently passed away.

The festival is being held in association with the National Film Archive of India, Chalachitra Academy, the State department of Culture and the Federation of Film Societies.
 

MUMBAI: The 10th International Film Festival, organised by the Film Lovers‘ Cultural Association (Filca), is to be held in Thiruvananthapuram from 7 to 13 May.

Noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will inaugurate the film festival on 7 May, which will be followed by the screening of V. K. Prakash directed Phir Kabhi.

One of the highlights of the festival will be a retrospective of films of David Lean.

Five films are being screened in the documentaries and short films section. This includes a documentary by Sharathchandran, the award-winning documentary-maker who recently passed away.

The festival is being held in association with the National Film Archive of India, Chalachitra Academy, the State department of Culture and the Federation of Film Societies.
 

MUMBAI: Ryan Kavanaugh‘s California-based Relativity Media, an independent motion picture production and investment company, is soon to set foot in India.

It has partnered with Fuse+Media‘s Keyur Patel and formed a new company Relativity Media India (RMI).

Headquartered in Mumbai, production, distribution and finance company RMI will handle Indian distribution of films solely done by Relativity Media and also acquire English-language films from other Hollywood studios and producers for distribution across all platforms.

RMI is seeking to create original content for all platforms, including film, television and video games, as well as license, adapt and remake properties and formats for the local market. It will also develop, produce and distribute local-language content by partnering with Indian talent.

In this regard, RMI is giving finishing touches to the acquisition of distribution rights of more than 30 recent and current English-language films.

As chairman and CEO of the company, Patel will oversee a staff of eleven executives.

Patel has been an investor in TV networks and films in India as well as a producer on several film and media projects in Hollywood and Bollywood.

In 2008, the company began an agreement with Lions Gate Entertainment, Sony Pictures, and Universal Studios to co-finance these studios‘ films until 2015, although Lionsgate has a significant role in the financing of most films.

The company‘s first production credit was with the short film Jerry vs. Death in 2005 and their first major feature film credit with RV in 2006.
 

MUMBAI: The Film Society of Lincoln Centre in New York will present a series of films, the highlights of which would be classic Indian films showcasing Muslim themes from 19 to 27 May.

Called ‘Social Dramas and Shimmering Spectacles: Muslim Cultures of Bombay Cinema‘, the first film series of its kind in New York will feature Jodhaa Akbar on the opening night along with a dozen other films like Mughal-e-Azam, Pakeezah and Umrao Jaan among others.

Spanning films from the 1930s to the present, the series will feature historical films that celebrate the justice and tolerance of the Mughal imperium as an antidote to colonial rule.

Filmmakers who are likely scheduled to appear in the festival includes Ashutosh Gowariker, Khalid Mohamed who had directed Fiza‘ and writer of Mammo.
Presented in collaboration with Indo-American Arts Council and the Indian consulate, the series, curated by Richard Allen and Ira Bhaskar, displays the extraordinary richness of Bombay cinema.

The new series follows one on Satyajit Ray that was held last spring.

MUMBAI: Mallika Sherawat and Divya Dutt, the two actresses who star in the soon-to-be released film Hisss directed by Jennifer Chambers Lynch, will be attending this year‘s Cannes Film Festival where the look of their film is due to be unveiled.

An independent co-production between the USA and India, the film also stars Irrfan Khan and Jeff Doucette. It is based on the legend of Naga and is about a snake woman whose mate is captured by an American hunter. The snake woman decides to take revenge on the hunter.

The film has let Sherawat and Dutt find sensuality in their own style. While Sherawat will be seen in a full glam avatar, showing off her super curvaceous body and wooing audiences with her groovy looks, Dutt on the other hand will be seen in some sensuous scenes.

The film will be released this year in both Hindi and English.