Writer accuses film of copying novel 2021, Dharma reacts, gets into legal trouble
Dharma Productions addressed allegations of plagiarism related to the film Homebound through legal channels after author Pooja Changoiwala accused it of copying her 2021 novel. Controversy arose when the film, India’s official entry for the Oscars, continued its campaign.
Dharma Productions responds to plagiarism allegations homeboundSaying that the matter is being addressed through legal channels. The response comes after journalist and author Pooja Changoiwala initiated legal proceedings against Dharma Productions and Netflix Entertainment Services India, accusing the producers of copying her 2021 novel of the same name.
When contacted by India Today, a representative of Dharma Productions said, “We are responding to the claim legally and cannot comment right now.” Changoiwala is preparing to approach the Bombay High Court alleging copyright infringement.
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, homebound Stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The film has recently received international attention after being selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards and making the December shortlist.
In response to an email to Hindustan TimesChangoiwala confirmed that his lawyer had issued a legal notice to Dharma Productions after watching the film, which was released in theaters on September 26 after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The manufacturers have retained it homebound It is inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway, and focuses on two childhood friends who are taking the national police exam during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Changoiwala has rejected this explanation, arguing that the similarities between his novel and the film go beyond a shared background. He said both actions are related to the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020.
He further alleged that the makers not only used the same title as his book but also reproduced large portions of its content. According to him, the second half of the film mirrors his novel’s visuals, dialogues, narrative structure and sequence of events.
Changoiwala said that he had sent a legal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, detailing the alleged violations on a scene-by-scene basis, and claimed that the producers did not acknowledge any violations in their response.
She has since approached the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, which is a mandatory pre-institution mediation step before filing a commercial suit. He has also accused the production house of misrepresentation, stating that using the same title amounts to “exploitation”, especially when the film’s script was developed in 2022, a year after his book was published.
As the legal process progresses, homebound Has continued his Oscar campaign, the matter will now be investigated by the courts.
