Oscar-shortlisted Homebound faces copyright suit; deets inside!

2 hours ago

Homebound, the Hindi film recently shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards, has become the subject of a legal dispute. Journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has initiated legal action against Dharma Productions and Netflix Entertainment Services India, alleging that the film unlawfully copies her 2021 novel of the same name.

Changoiwala, whose book Homebound was published in 2021, says she took action only after her lawyer issued a formal notice to Dharma Productions, which she claims was not adequately addressed by the production house. She points out that both the novel and the film draw from the same real-life event — the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020 — but argues that the similarities extend far beyond the shared backdrop.

“In the second half of the film, I discovered that the producers have not only misappropriated the title of my book, but have also blatantly reproduced substantial portions of my novel — including its scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, sequence of events, and other creative expressions,” Changoiwala said in an email cited by The Free Press Journal.

According to Changoiwala, her legal team sent a scene-by-scene legal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, outlining the alleged infringements. She asserts that the producers did not acknowledge the claimed violation and continued to promote and distribute the film on Netflix.

Changoiwala has since filed an application with the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. This step is a mandatory pre-litigation step before a commercial suit can be filed in the Bombay High Court. Her court application seeks remedies including a permanent injunction against distribution of the film, removal of the allegedly infringing material, a change of title, and monetary damages for copyright infringement.

Changoiwala defended her decision to pursue legal action despite the stature of the respondents: “I know I’m challenging powerful entities by taking this step, but I believe it’s important for writers to defend their work when it’s misappropriated and exploited without their consent.”

As of now, neither Dharma Productions nor Netflix has issued a detailed public response to the allegations. The film Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, continues its awards campaign while the legal process unfolds.

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