IT IS TIME PLAGIARISM IS TREATED AS A MAJOR CRIME

Ali Peter John

It seems like originality is going out and plagiarism is becoming a way of life in the field of filmmaking. It is not that it was not there in the past, but the way some filmmakers and writers are elevating what is or should be called a crime, to the level of a "fine art" and also a means to make quick and easy money is alarming.

In my fifty years, I have seen number of cases where plagiarism has played a major part in the success of some films, but I have also seen films and their makers pay a very heavy price for their act of creative cowardice and insulting their own intelligence and talent by indulging in lifting or stealing ideas, concepts and themes, entire films without caring to let the makers of the originals know the "crime "they have committed till they wake up to see the bitter truth and then it is too late and they have no other way to settle the dispute out of court or go to court to seek justice....

I have just come to know of an outrageous case of this "fine art" of plagiarism and as someone committed to the cause of this industry, I strongly feel that this case must be brought to the limelight in the interests of the industry, now, tomorrow and in the future.....

Ms.Alka Sadalkar was and is a filmmaker out of choice, a choice she had made when she was at the crossroads of her life. Alka had decided to make a long-short film based on a subject that was not given the seriousness and sincerity it deserved. She who belongs to Pune where there is a good number of Parsis still playing a crucial part in every day life and are best known for their speciality in the business of food, bakeries and their unique cuisine.

Ms.Sadalkar wove a script around this now known as a minority community and made a film with unknown but authentic actors from the community itself. She had spent time in doing her research to make her film as real as the lives of the community and she named her film “City Bakery ". The film is forty nine minutes long, had all the elements of making an emotional and a appealing film and was screened in September 2017. It had gained a good deal of applause and appreciation which gave Alka Sadalkar the satisfaction and the inspiration to plan her next film, but even as she was preparing, she had to face an unexpected storm ...

A film called"Maska"(a name which for those who know the Parsi special cuisine items will instantly bring to mind some delicacies like "bun maska "and "maska khaari "among other items of which "maska "(butter made by the Parsis as their speciality)was released on Netflix in March 2020.

She was flooded with anxious calls from her friends and well wishers and even her renowned cinematographer Deep Pal and her assistant director who asked her if she had seen "Maska" and told her about the shocking similarities between her film,"City Bakery "and "Maska".

She saw the film and was heartbroken. The film, "Maska" was nothing but a naked attempt to plagiarise the film she had made as her labour of love.

The story- line, the plot, the language,
expressions, theme and seventeen out of twenty scenes in the film were directly lifted from her film.The three major parts of the film were exact copies of the scenes in her film and even the strained relationship she had shown between a mother and her son was the same. And to add insult to injury, the makers of the show called "original" film even had a senior actor from "City Bakery"playing a pivotal character in the "original" film

The only difference between"City Bakery "and "Maska "was that "Maska " was made on a bigger scale, it was hundred and eleven minutes long and had known stars like Manisha Koirala in it.

Ms.Sadalkar, the new filmmaker was in a quandary and was advised to approach the court for justice. In her quest for justice, she approached the leading advocate Ms.Saveena Bedi Sachar, who after studying the case, made and issued a Cease and Desist legal notice through her lawfirm Lawhive Associates. She did not want to be in a haste to approach the court because the judiciary was under pressure due to lockdown. She gave the makers of "Maska", time to make their point, but when they did not respond concretely for more than two weeks, she had no other way but to approach the Bombay High Court.

The case is pending in the Hon'ble High Court and so is subjudice as of now but the opposite parties have been asked to file a reply and will come up for hearing soon and Ms. Alka Sadalkar who has all the faith and trust in the judiciary feels that her case is very strong and believes that the judiciary will mete out justice she and her film deserve.

I have gone through this case of outright plagiarism and I feel this is the right time for the court to send out a strong message that plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be treated as a crime on par with theft and other associated crimes.

Will justice be done to Ms.Alka Sadalkar ? It could be a signal that could deter other plagiarists to desist and refrain from committing any such "crimes "in the future.