Showing posts with label MSM Motion Pictures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MSM Motion Pictures. Show all posts
Youngistaan gets to keep its title, but conditions apply
7:45 AM
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 7, 2014)
The producers of Youngistaan, MSM Motion Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Films & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. can now breathe easy. Their legal dispute with PepsiCo Inc over the title was settled in Delhi High Court on Wednesday. As per the settlement, MSM Motion Pictures can retain the title Youngistaan but will have to carry a disclaimer in the film as well as it’s non-theatrical trailers and official pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Sneha Rajani, Deputy President & Head, MSM Motion Pictures, is delighted: “As producers, our sole objective was to ensure that we get to retain the title and proceed with the film’s promotions.”
Bhagnani adds, “The title Youngistaan truly depicts the spirit of this film and I am glad that case has been settled amicably.”
On February 13, Mirror had reported that the soft drink company had sent the filmmakers a legal notice pointing out that Youngistaan is a registered trademark of the company and has been extensively used in its campaign. The producers of the film were told to change the title with immediate effect and withdraw all promotional material featuring the title.
Both parties had expected to reach a settlement in the last hearing itself, but it didn’t come and Pranjal Khandhdiya, Executive Producer, MSM, had reiterated to Mirror on February 27, “We will fight it out because the title was granted to us by the film associations. Once they clear it, no one should raise objections to it. If we give in now, the system collapses. Tomorrow, even a smaller brand can claim copyright and create hindrance for another producer.”
Yesterday, Khandhdiya said: “Nobody won or lost. It’s a happy situation for both parties. The idea was not to compete with or fight Pepsi. We’d got the title from the film associations and wanted to retain it which we have.” The spokesperson from a PepsiCo India reverted to our mail saying, “The Defendants – MSM Motion Pictures--in the settlement have acknowledged PepsiCo’s right on trademark Youngistaan and the campaign connected to it. They have also agreed to carry a disclaimer in the title credits of the movie, theatrical trailers and end slate in all their official digital media communications.”
War between Youngistaan & PepsiCo over title hots up
7:58 AM
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 27, 2014)
On February 13, Mirror reported that the producers of Youngistaan, MSM Motion Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani’s Puja Films, was involved in legal battle with PepsiCo Inc over the title. The soft drink company sent the filmmakers a legal notice pointing out that they had copyright over the term ‘youngistaan’, which had been coined by them several years ago.
The producers of the film were told to change the title with immediate effect. The notice further reiterated that they should withdraw all promotional material that mentioned the title.
While hearing a petition filed by the soft drink brand, the judge at the Bombay High Court had earlier advised the two parties to sit down together and amicably sort out the issue. In the last hearing both parties presented their proposals to the court. However, neither was prepared to reveal the content of the proposals made in court.
Confirming this, Pranjal Khandhdiya, Executive Producer, MSM Motion Pictures, admits that there were talks and options were discussed.
According to a source, one of this was going with the sms spelling of Youngistaan.
The source further adds that the producers were even toying with the idea of calling the film FALTU 2. Khandhdiya dismisses this report saying, “FALTU is another brand and our film is not an extension of it but a new film. So why would we want to call it FALTU 2," he argues.
Yesterday, a verdict was expected by evening. But the High Court postponed the final order to a later date which has not yet been intimated.
With the film’s release date—March 28—looming, MSM Motion Pictures has now decided to stay with their original title. “We will fight it out because the title was granted to us by the film associations. Once they clear it, no one should raise objections to it. If we give in now, the system collapses. Tomorrow, even a smaller brand can claim copyright and create hindrance for another producer. So we have now decided to fight it out,”Khandhdiya reiterates.
PepsiCo India’s spokesperson reverted to our mail saying, “Youngistaan is a registered trademark of PepsiCo. Inc and has been extensively used in its campaign. As the matter is pending in court, we will not be able to further comment on the matter.”
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