APJ Abdul Kalam biopic runs into copyright storm

While filmmaker Jagadeesh Daneti announced a collaboration with a Hollywood production, Abhishek Agarwal has claimed that he 'owns' all rights to the biopic on the late president.

Mumbai - 12 Feb 2020 13:30 IST

Photo: Courtesy AAArtsOfficial Twitter

Two Telugu filmmakers have claimed copyright on making a biopic on former president of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The issue broke out when Jagadeesh Daneti's biopic on the late president was announced with Union minister of information and broadcasting, Prakash Javdekar, making it official earlier this week when he released the film's first look.

The project will be backed by Pink Jaguars Entertainment in collaboration with a Hollywood studio.

Released the first look of the biopic of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in New Delhi today. A joint venture of #Hollywood and #Tollywood, the feature film made on the iconic People’s President of India, will be released by end of this year. pic.twitter.com/KBjrxjC1lQ
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) February 9, 2020

However, a film on the former president had already been announced in May 2019 by Abhishek Aggarwal. Following Daneti's announcement, Aggarwal took to social media to claim that 'all rights' to a biopic on the former president of India lie with him.

"As part of our next project, the biopic on Dr Abdul Kalam ji, we now own all necessary/official rights for films, documentaries and posters related to Dr Kalam's life in any language," he wrote.

As part of our next project,Biopic of #DrAbdulKalam ji, we now own all necessary/official rights of Films, Documentaries,Posters related to Dr.Kalam life in any language

So,taking References of any such information & acts without permission would be strictly dealt as per the law pic.twitter.com/aGBPgTWtgi
— Abhishek Agarwal Arts (@AAArtsOfficial) February 10, 2020

Aggarwal also stated that the Dr Abdul Kalam Foundation has officially given the production house the rights for making the biopic. Speaking to the Asian Age newspaper, Aggarwal said, "I think that an official tweet is more than enough to prove that we have the rights for the film in all languages."

The daily also quoted Daneti, who disputed the claim saying, "I don’t understand the concept of ‘rights’, Kalamji is such an inspiring personality that anyone can make a film on him."