‘Enthiran’ plagiarism case: Non-bailable warrant issued against director Shankar
A metropolitan magistrate court in Chennai has issued a non-bailable warrant against director Shankar after he failed to appear before the court for over 10 years in connection with a case of story theft. A short story writer named Arur Tamilnandan had alleged that the director had used his story for his blockbuster film Enthiran starring Rajinikanth.
In 2010, the writer filed a case in the Madras High Court alleging copyright violation of his story Jugiba which was first published in a magazine named Iniya Udayam in April 1996. In 2007, the same story was then published in a novel, Tik Tik Deepika. He alleged that Enthiran produced by Kalanithi Maran was a copy of his work and added that such an offence was punishable under Section 420 (Cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other sections of the Copyright Act.
When the case came up for hearing in the Madras High Court in 2019, Shankar’s counsel Wilson argued that his client’s movie did not resemble Jugiba. However advocate P Kumaresan who appeared for the writer provided the court with 29 similarities between the two stories. The writer’s counsel further pointed out that Aarur Tamilnadan was recognised with Kalaimamani awards for his works. The Madras High Court, convinced by these arguments refused to quash the proceedings, following which Shankar approached the Supreme Court in 2020. He claimed that he had written the story even before Jugiba was published. However the Supreme Court ruled against the director in October 2020.
The writer has asked for Rs 1 crore or patent infringement from the director and producer.
In addition to Rajinikanth, Enthiran’s cast features Aishwariya Rai, Danny Denzongpa, Santhanam, Karunas and several others.
The film is about a scientist (Rajinikanth) who creates a robot in his own form to help the Indian army. The robot however turns evil due to the intervention from a rival scientist and abducts the heroine played by Aishwariya Rai, whom it develops feelings for, in the process.
