Plagiarism row: Kerala court restrains Kantara makers from playing song Varaaha Roopam in theatres, streaming platforms

“The court has issued a temporary injunction. It restrains Hombale Films, filmmaker Rishabh Shetty, music composer B Ajaneesh Loknath and streaming services, including Amazon Prime, which is to stream the movie from 4 November, from playing Varaaha Roopam until the disposal of the suit,” the band’s counsel Satish Murthy told South First.

The court also issued notices restraining digital platforms such as Saavn, Itunes, Spotify, and YouTube from playing the song without the permission of Thaikkudam Bridge.

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Murthy said the judge prima facie found substantial similarities between the song Navarasam and Varaaha Roopam.

While passing the order, the court observed that if such an injunction was not issued, “it can cause irreparable damage to the band as they don’t get authorship or due credit”, he added.

The court also observed that Thaikkudam Bridge has rights under Section 57 of the Copyrights Act. The section deals with the authorship of a work.

“The author of a work shall have the right to claim authorship of the work and to restrain or claim damages in respect to any distortion, mutilation, modification or other acts in relation to the said work,” the Act says.

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Thaikkudam Bridge seeks due credit

Thaikkudam Bridge band manager Sujith Unnithan told South First that the band needs due credit for their work, and not compensation, since the Mathrubhumi Music holds its ownership rights.

“They can either give us due credit and move on, or file a case in the higher courts. If they give us due credit, the problem is solved,” he said.

Unnithan added that Mathrubhumi Music had informed Thaikkudam Bridge that it too was preparing to move  court.

In an earlier interview with South First, Thaikkudam Bridge had alleged that the music of Varaaha Roopam as a “total rip-off” of their work, which was published five years ago.

“Our friends from the music community thought we gave the rights of Navarasam to the producers of Kantara. But the song is a total rip-off, including the guitar riffs, drum patterns and everything”, the manager told South First.

“You can realise it if you listen to both songs. Musicians will definitely understand and this can even be identified by the general public,” he added.

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