Kannada film Pushpaka Vimana copy of Korean movie: Bombay HC
The Bombay High Court has passed an order restraining further exhibition and distribution of Kannada film Pushpaka Vimana while citing that it "appears to be a copy of the Korean movie Miracle in Cell No. 7". Korea-based Kross Pictures had filed a copyright infringement case against Pushpaka Vimana's makers alleging that proper remake rights hadn't been acquired from the company.
A Kannada drama film which shares its title with the 1987 Kamal Hassan-starrer Pushpaka Vimana has run into trouble.The Bombay High Court has passed an order which observes that prima facie, the movie "appears to be a copy of the Korean movie Miracle in Cell No. 7."The court issued an order restraining further exhibition and distribution of the new Kannada film, Pushpaka Vimana in any manner or in any medium including cinema theatres, television and CDs/DVDs.The order restrains the filmmakers from awarding any satellite or telecast rights of the film for its exhibition. The court further directed the defendants to disclose to the court the earnings from the film and all contracts with artists involved with the movie.Kross Pictures which is a television production company based in South Korea has alleged that the movie's storyline is a copy of the Korean movie Miracle In Cell No. 7, the rights to which are owned by Kross Pictures India.The Korean movie was first released on 23rd January 2013, first in Korean and then on YouTube in English in 2014. Kross Pictures had moved the Bombay High Court claiming copyright infringement against the producers of Pushpaka Vimana.Interestingly, the complainant Kross Pictures in their arguments had indicated at least 15 instances where the producer of Pushpaka Vimana AR Vikhyat publicly admitted that he had 'adapted' the screenplay of the Korean film for his movie.