HC issues notice to Salman, makers of Veer

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to Bollywood actor Salman Khan and director Anil Sharma for allegedly lifting some concepts from a book without approval of its author for their film 'Veer'.

Justice V K Shali asked the actor, producer and director of the film to file their response on the allegation levelled by author Pavan Choudary, who has sought damages of Rs 20 lakh from them for alleged violation of his copyright and making illegal gains by lifting a portion from his book 'Trilogy of Wisdom'.

The author also pleaded that the court should stay the screening of the film.

"The idea and concept that India should not be a 'Sone Ki Chidiya' (Golden bird) but 'Baaj' (hawk) has almost been identically copied and adapted in the film. They have copied the idea/concept from my book and are using the same for their commercial gains," senior advocate Jayant Bhushan pleaded on behalf of the author.

"The producer, director and story writer are well aware... That use of idea and concept (that India should not be a 'Sone Ki Chidiya but Baaj') in the film are violative of the Intellectual Property Rights," the petition, filed through advocates C S Yadav and Pandey Rajiv Rajhans, said.

The Court, after hearing the arguments, issued notice to Salman Khan and others and listed the matter for further hearing on February 4.

Choudary submitted in his petition that he had earlier sent a legal notice to them not to use his concept in the film but they went ahead with its release.

"The defendants threaten and intend to continue the aforesaid wrongful acts and thereby to infringe his copyrights and they would continue to do so unless restrained by this Court," the petition said.

Choudary contended that the director and the producer of the film should be immediately restrained from screening of the movie.

The court should pass a decree of permanent and prohibitory injunction restraining them or any person acting on their behalf from exhibiting the film to the public or in any form or manner with the dialogues based on the concept of his book, the petition said.