'Kantara' producer, director summoned by Kerala police over plagiarism

Thiruvananthapuram: The main actor and director of the super hit Kannada movie 'Kantara', Rishab Shetty, and its producer, Vijay Krigandur Ahad appeared before the Kozhikode Deputy Commissioner of Police, K.E. Baiju today.

The director and producer of the movie appeared before the investigating officer after the Supreme Court of India on Thursday (Feb 9, 2023) granted anticipatory bail to director Rishab Shetty and producer Vijay Kirgandur.

The division bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala had said in the order that "Petitioner shall present before the investigating officer on February 12 and 13. In case he is arrested, he shall be released on bail forthwith subject to conditions on trial court."

The producer and director have given their statements before the police following a complaint lodged by the Kerala-based music band 'Thaikoodam Bridge' that a song in the movie was a product of the band and that the movie makers did not acknowledged that.

The band had complained that the song 'Varaha Roopam' in the movie was actually plagiarised from their song 'Navarasam'.

The music director of the movie, 'Kantara', B. Ajaneesh Loknath had rejected the allegations stating that the similarities were due to the same 'Raga' used in both songs.

However, 'Thaikkudam Bridge' complained that blatant infringement of copyright law had taken place.