Sayani Gupta reacts to ‘Aasmani’ getting clean chit in copyright infringement

Mumbai, Sep 13 (IANS) Actress Sayani Gupta, whose directorial debut, ‘Aasmani’ was clouded with allegations of similarities with ‘Prabha’, has reacted to the film receiving clean chit by the Screenwriters Association's Dispute Settlement Committee (DSC). The film has been cleared of copyright infringement allegations by the body. The complaint, filed against the actress-director and editor Paramita Ghosh, alleged similarities between ‘Aasmani’ and ‘Prabha’, which is a documentary yet to be completed. After reviewing submissions and independent expert comparisons, the DSC found the two works shared only the underlying idea, while storytelling, character development, conflict, and story arc differ. The DSC noted that copyright protects expression, not ideas, especially where the complainant's work is a documentary based on a real person's publicly known life. Reacting to the same, Sayani Gupta said, "As I had said earlier, truth will always prevail. I had respected the process and was grateful that the truth has come out. It always does. This has been the most harrowing experience of my life. But as my grandmother would often quote Tagore and say 'tomar potaka jaare dao, bohibare dao shokoti'. 'whoever you give your flag to bear, you also give them the strength to bear it’”. The DSC also noted that the actress-director has filed a separate defamation suit against the complainant, in which the court has ruled in her favour. Since issues in that case overlap with the DSC complaint, the matter is now sub judice, barring the DSC from further adjudication. The proceedings have accordingly been concluded and the complaint closed at SWA's end, without prejudice to the legal rights and remedies available to either party. The finding brings significant relief to Sayani, clarifying a dispute that had cast an unwarranted shadow over her directorial debut's otherwise triumphant global festival run. --IANS aa/