Zee5 has issued an official statement denying plagiarism allegations made by the makers of Constable Kanakam, who recently accused the platform’s Telugu original series Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting of copying their screenplay.
In its response, Zee stated, “It has come to Zee’s attention that Mr. Prashanth Dimmalla, who has instituted a suit alleging copyright infringement against Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting, conducted a press conference despite being fully aware that the matter is sub judice. He ought not to have made public statements until the Hon’ble Court adjudicates the matter.”
Zee clarified that, in accordance with an interim court order dated June 25, it had made a preview of the series available to Mr. Dimmalla “to personally assess whether any part of the series bore resemblance to his script.” The statement added that instead of reviewing the material, Mr. Dimmalla and his team “launched a vilification campaign” without offering any supporting evidence.
Zee denies the allegations and described the actions of Mr. Dimmalla and associates as “reckless and irresponsible.” The company also announced that legal proceedings have already begun and that it is “contemplating the initiation of criminal proceedings” over the press conference, which was streamed live on social media.
The dispute began on Wednesday when director Prasanth Kumar Dimmala claimed he had earlier pitched Constable Kanakam to Zee5 and shared the complete script, which he now alleges was used without permission in Viraatapalem. The ETV Win backed series stars Varsha Bollamma and began production in December 2024. According to the team, the script was registered in 2022 and is now subject to a legal challenge.
Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting premiered on June 27. Directed by Krishna Poluru and written by Divya Thejaswi Pera, the supernatural thriller follows a female police constable in the 1980s investigating mysterious deaths in a fictional village. The series is produced by South Indian Screens.
