Writer Sarah Aboobakker wins plagiarism case against makers of Byari

MANGALURU: Kannada writer Sarah Aboobakker has successfully contested a legal case of plagiarism of her famed work Chandragiriya Teeradalli that led to making of Swarna Kamal award winning movie Byari, the first ever movie made in Beary language. Upholding her contention, the third additional district and sessions’ court in its judgement directed Altaf Hussain, the producer not to screen the movie anywhere henceforth.
Incidentally, Altaf also stars in a prominent role in the film, the writer stated in a press note on Monday. Directed by KP Suveeran, the film bagged the Swarna Kamal award in the 59th National Film Awards. Sarah moved the court in 2011 after she noticed that film makers had based the film Byari on her much famed novel. The judge Muralidhar Pai B upheld her contention that there was an infringement of her intellectual property rights.
The court also directed the film makers to pay her a compensation of Rs 2 lakh with an interest for the period that the case was in trial, that is, 8 years and 12-days, along with the court costs. Sarah said her novel was published as a serial in Lankesh Patrike and had evoked intense passions and discussion among different strata of society. “The novel has a history of having attracted a vast legion of readers and fans who appreciated it,” she said.
The film makers have used the story in the novel without my permission, Sarah said, adding this brazen act of theirs forced her to approach the court for justice. The writer recalled the role senior advocate late Gauri Shankar played in handling her case, before handing it over to another advocate Shyam Rao due to ill-health. Thanking the duo for fighting on her behalf, the writer also thanked all those who stood by her in this crusade of hers.