Copyright infringement case: Bombay High Court clears Chhapaak for release

Deepika Padukone’s Chaapaak, based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, has been cleared for release after a copyright infringement case was filed on it.  

Last month, a writer named Rakesh Bharti had moved the Bombay High Court against the makers of Deepika Padukone’s Chaapaak, claiming he had originally conceived the idea of a film on an acid attack survivor. In response, director Meghna Gulzar had filed an affidavit, arguing that information in the public domain is not protected under the Copyright Act.

Today, a Single Bench Judge of SC Gupte heard the plea and cleared the film for release. The court, however, kept all contentions of alleged copyright infringement open after release. 

In his petition, Rakesh claimed he had registered the idea with the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) in 2015 under the title Black Day. He also claimed to have narrated the idea to Chhapaak producers Fox Star Studios, who allegedly stole his idea.