Kerala court orders filmmaker Major Ravi to pay ₹30 lakh compensation for plagiarising screenplay of 'Karmayodha'

Filmmaker Major Ravi has been directed by a court in Kerala to pay ₹30 lakh in compensation to writer Reji Mathew. The Kottayam Commercial Court ruled in Mathew's favor in a copyright suit where he alleged that his original story, screenplay, and dialogues were used in the movie 'Karmayodha' without his permission. Mathew claimed the film was released without giving him credit or payment for his work.

Judge Manish DA delivered the judgment on November 21, determining that Mathew successfully proved his authorship of the story, screenplay, and dialogues used in the film.

The court noted significant similarities between Mathew's work and the movie. It pointed out that the defense did not produce the original script or a copy of 'Karmayodha'. The court stated that a simple comparison of the submitted documents revealed clear similarities in the scenes. The court also highlighted that the defendants did not specifically argue that there were no similarities between the scenes in Mathew's script and the movie, and that one of the defendants even admitted to these similarities. The court also found likeness in many characters.

The court concluded that the resemblances between Mathew's original work and the film constituted substantial copying, going beyond mere coincidence.

Mathew's suit stated that Major Ravi approached him in 2011 to develop a screenplay about woman trafficking. After Mathew completed the script and shared it with the director, along with suggested titles like 'Karmayodha,' the project was suddenly halted.

Mathew later discovered media reports about a film with the same storyline being produced, with Major Ravi credited as the writer. The film was eventually released in 2012 as 'Karmayodha'.

After a trial lasting over a decade, the court analyzed the evidence and compared the screenplays, finding significant similarities in the characters, narrative, and scene construction. The court rejected Ravi's argument that the film was independently developed from a one-line story.

The court clarified that copyright law protects the expression of an idea, not just the final film. While the director or producer may own the copyright to the film itself, the author of the literary work retains independent copyright unless it is formally assigned in writing. The court stated that Mathew owns the authorship and copyright of the story, script, and screenplay and is entitled to a declaration as such. The court concluded that the defendants infringed upon Mathew's authorship and copyright.