Sachien release stayed

The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Briefly: "The release of the Vijay-starrer Sachien was today stayed for a day by the Madras High Court. Justice N. Kannadasan restrained the colour lab, which processed the film, from releasing copies after the Gemini Film Circuit filed a civil suit alleging that the tune of a popular song was unauthorisedly copied by the music director.

The suit said Devi Sri Prasad, music director for Sachien, had scored music for the company's Telugu film — `Shankar Dada MBBS,' starring Chiranjeevi and Sonali Bendre. He was paid Rs. 30 lakhs for the film. Mr. Prasad "totally copied the tune, music track and the entire background score of the song `Na Peru Kanchana Mala' from the Telugu film and used it in the Tamil film after replacing the voice track alone."

Pointing out that the copyright of the song vested with Gemini Film Circuit, the suit said the ownership of the song track, including the tune, was with the company, and it was used in the new Tamil lyric `Dai Dai Dai Kattikoda.'

The suit said V Creations, producer of the Tamil film, had committed copyright violations, and the plaintiff-company was "entitled to all civil remedies of injunction, damages and accounts." V Creations, which already sold lakhs of audiocassettes, was duty-bound to account for the proceeds, the suit said. "