Neerja Ghaywan`s Homebound, which has received massive acclaim on the global stage, has now landed in a legal soup. Journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has reportedly initiated legal proceedings against Dharma Productions and Netflix India, claiming that thefilm infringes upon her copyright. This comes at a time when the Neeraj Ghaywan-directed starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, has been shortlisted for the Oscars.
Homebound sued by author
Puja Changoiwala is allegedly set to move the Bombay High Court, accusing the makers of unlawfully borrowing from her 2021 novel Homebound. In an email to Hindustan Times, the author confirmed that her lawyer had issued a legal notice to the production house before they initiated formal court proceedings.
Changoiwala has also disputed this claim, noting that the similarities between her book and the film go well beyond a shared backdrop. In her email, she stated that “the subject of both (her novel and the film) is the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020.” She additionally alleged, “Upon watching 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 in the second half of the film—including its scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, sequence of events, and other creative expressions.”
Puja revealed that a legal notice was served to Dharma Productions on October 15 after she watched the film. She said that the notice included “providing a detailed, scene-by-scene account of their infringement of (her) rights.” She went on to claim that the producers “refused to acknowledge the violation” in their replies.
Consequently, Changoiwala has filed an application before the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The application is part of the mandatory pre-institution mediation process needed before filing a commercial suit in the Bombay High Court. The author also alleged that the production house`s misrepresentation, claiming that Dharma Productions “committed a flagrant act of passing off” by naming the film after her novel, adding that it “cannot be a coincidence.” She also pointed out that the film’s script was developed in 2022, which is a year after her book was published.
The author revealed that she would seek multiple legal remedies, including a permanent injunction on the film’s distribution, removal of the allegedly infringing material, a change in the film’s title, as well as monetary damages. She stated, “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.”
Dharma Productions has declined to comment on the matter. The production house reportedly replied to Hindustan Times via text message saying, “We are responding to the claim legally and cannot comment on anything right now.”
About Homebound
Homebound was released in theatres on September 26 after it premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May. The makers have communicated that the narrative is inspired by a 2020 New York Times article by journalist Basharat Peer titled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway. The story revolves around two childhood friends going through challenges of clearing the national police examination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Homebound has been shortlisted as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
