Akshay starrer Vipul Shah flick legally threatened by Warner Bros.

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, April 08: Bollywood has thrived excellently on music themes blatantly copied from the west, but the trend seems to have reached a full stop. Warner Brothers, the media giant that produced Oscar winning ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’, has issued a legal notice against Bollywood produced Vipul Shah.The lawyers representing Warner Brothers, Lall and Sethi Advocates, explained the issue. “The rumours are that Vipul Shah is making a film,” advocate Chander Lall informed a news daily, adding, “They haven’t got in touch with Warner Brothers, or taken permission from them. As soon as we’re sure that they’re violating copyright, we’ll take action.” “Recent reports have indicated certain parties are in the process of producing a film based on the forementioned film (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). Warner or its co-owner have not licensed any party to remake or make any film based upon the said film...” The notice went on to say that anyone re-making ‘Benjamin Button’ shall be dragged to court. The target was easily recognized as Vipul Shah, who had announced Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Action Replay’. Buzz has it that the film was on the lines of Benjamin Button. However, Vipul denies the claims. He said, “My film is called ‘Action Replay’. It’s based on a play I wrote 14 years ago, no, 15, actually, in ’94. It was registered with the Censor Board of India, and was staged too. More than 200 shows have been staged. And my film does not have a single scene similar to the Brad Pitt-starrer.” About the notice, Vipul said, “No one has spoken to me in this regard.” “Right now, there are only rumours. And so we have issued a public notice, we are yet to write to Vipul. If they still make the investment, we will take action. Infringing copyright is no small issue,” said Lall. Defending his film, Vipul declared, “If I’m guilty, I’m willing to undergo legal punishment. I haven’t even seen Benjamin Button. But if they prove the similarity, I would first like to sue them, because their film would then be a remake of my original registered script and play.”