Kannada
actor-director Rakshit Shetty and his banner Paramvah Studios seem to have landed in serious legal trouble. According to a recent report, Raskhit and his production house have been fined Rs 5 lakh by the Delhi High Court for using two songs in the film Bachelor Party without proper authorisation.
Delhi High Court fines Rakshit Shetty Rs 5 Lakh
The court did not order any jail time, but made it clear that the case showcases the importance of following copyright rules and respecting earlier court directions.As per a report by Bar and Bench, Justice Tejas Karia held Rakshit Shetty's production house guilty of copyright infringement as well as deliberate non-compliance, dismissing the argument that the use of the songs was too minor to need a licence.
The court said that the song
Omme Ninnanu was played for about 31 seconds and the song
Nyaya Ellide was played for about 7 seconds. It said that you can't use even one frame from a copyrighted work without permission. The Delhi High Court also stressed that the law grants exclusive rights to the copyright holder regardless of how brief the usage may be. At the same time, the court showed some leniency after taking into account an affidavit submitted by the filmmakers expressing regret. Instead of sentencing Rakshit Shetty to simple imprisonment for contempt of a previous order, the court directed both him and the production house to pay Rs 5 lakh as a penalty within two weeks.
About Bachelor Party songs' copyright case
Speaking about the case, it was brought forward by MRT Music, which owns the rights to the songs. The company argued that the tracks, protected as sound recordings as well as literary and musical works, were used in the film without permission. One of the songs was played on a TV in the background of a scene, and the other was sung in a classroom, which added to the story.Despite a 2024 order directing the filmmakers to deposit Rs 20 lakh and remove the unauthorised content, there was a delay in complying with the instructions, which led to contempt proceedings. The defence maintained that the usage fell under 'de minimis,' or too trivial to matter. The court, on the other hand, turned down this claim, saying that the songs were included on purpose and not by accident.
The ruling also said that the Rs 20 lakh that had already been paid should be given to MRT Music, along with a new Rs 5 lakh fine for the delay.
Rakshit Shetty's work front
Meanwhile, a renowned writer, film producer and director, Rakshit Shetty's popular films include critically acclaimed
777 Charlie,
Kirik Party, Sapta Saagaradaache Ello and the cult classic
Ulidavaru Kandanthe.
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