'Kantara' plagiarism row: Kerala HC stays FIR against Prithviraj Sukumaran

Kerala High Court has stayed the FIR filed against ‘Kantara’ distributor Prithviraj Sukumaran in connection with the alleged copyright infringement of the song 'Varaharoopam' from the Kannada movie. Prithviraj was the distributor of the film in Kerala. FIR was registered on a complaint filed by Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd.

The court observed that Prithviraj, who is the only distributor of the film in Kerala, was unnecessarily being dragged into and initiated copyright infringement proceedings against him.

As per Indian Express report, the Single Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed, 'As a mere distributor of the film in Kerala, the actor was unnecessarily being dragged into and that initiating copyright infringement proceedings against him was stretching it too far. Prima facie, I am satisfied that the petitioner as a distributor of a movie cannot be mulcted with infringement of copyright merely for distributing a movie in one of the states in the country.'

'As a director of the Company Prithviraj Productions Private Limited, merely facilitated the distribution of the film in Kerala and was not involved in the production of the film or in the making of its music in any capacity. The company stopped the distribution of the film on 04.11.2022. The role of his company as a distributor of the film is limited to acting as an intermediary that distributes the films through theatres after obtaining distribution rights from the producer,' the statement concluded.

The stay was on a petition filed by Prithviraj for discontinuation of the FIR registered against him at the Kozhikode Town Police Station.

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