Showing posts with label Shreyans Hirawat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shreyans Hirawat. Show all posts
‘Colourizing’ film after its property rights expire can create a new copyright or invoke moral rights
2:29 PM
It’s not legally clear whether ‘colourizing’ a film after its property rights expire can create a new copyright or invoke moral rights, say experts
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; August 17, 2026)
Mumbai: Companies, institutions or individuals owning Intellectual Properties (IPs) of black & white films whose copyright has expired or is about to expire have been facing a dead-end-like situation.
A key challenge is the lack of clarity in the law about the ownership of colourized versions of black & white films whose copyright has expired.
Increasingly, this has become a pressing issue for companies which own film IPs, preserve and restore them as it limits their monetization opportunities, said legal firms, film IP-owners and film processing and colouring labs with ET.
In a year, copyright of 50-100 black & white films expires in India, said these companies.
According to the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the copyright of a film expires after 61 years of its release. After the copyright expiry, an IP-owner loses a film’s IP. Then the film enters public domain. This makes the film’s IP vulnerable as anyone can colourize the film.
"Once the copyright term of a film ends, the original owner loses any exclusive claim to the film. A third party is free to colourize or remaster the film. What remains legally unsettled, though, is whether colourization creates a new, independent copyright, and whether moral rights can still be invoked once the underlying copyright has expired," said Priyanka Sinha, co-founder of law firm A&P Partners.
India’s Copyright Act says that derivative work of an original film can have copyright provided there is some originality in it. But the Act does not clearly state whether improving the visual and aural experience of a black-and-white film through colourization can make the derivative work copyrightable.
The central issue in this is colourized versions are considered as ‘interpretations’ of original works. A simpler way of understanding is Indian epics such as the Ramayana. The Ramayana exists in India’s cultural ecosystem since time immemorial. Due to this, anyone can write his or her own interpretations of the epic. Similarly, once the copyright of a black & white film expires in India, different colourized versions of the same film can be done by multiple people.
"If different creators independently colourize or modify the same film, questions may arise regarding the scope of protection available to each version and how the respective creative contributions are to be distinguished from the underlying work. Differences in colour palettes, shades, costumes and other visual treatments can result in different interpretations," explained Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment.
This lack of IP ownership of a colourized version has complicated the business situation for IP-owners given the costs required for colourizing a black & white film. According to Kavita Prasad, managing director, Prasad Corporation, one of the oldest film laboratories in India, the cost of colourizing a black & white film can be in the range of Rs.50 lakh-Rs 1 crore.
To deal with this challenge, a formal proposal has been put before the government to extend the 60-year term for films and bring it at par with global standards (70-95 years).
"Today, films generate revenues through OTT, FAST channels, international licensing and emerging AI-based exploitation. We are requesting the government extend the copyright term. This would not only protect commercial interest of rights holders but also support the preservation and restoration of India’s cinematic heritage," explained Shreyans Hirawat, head, Film Business & Innovation, NH Studioz.
A week after Bholaa's release, Ajay Devgn and Tabu to begin shooting for Neeraj Pandey's Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
8:16 AM
After Bholaa’s release next week, Ajay and Tabu to kick off Mumbai leg of Neeraj’s musical thriller, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 24, 2023)
For actor-director Ajay Devgn, it’s that frenetic final week before Bholaa releases next Friday. But even after the actioner hits the marquee, there will be little respite for the actor. Along with Bholaa co-star Tabu, he will soon kick off the second schedule of Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The musical thriller is a mix of old and new associations for Devgn — while it marks his tenth film with Tabu, it is his maiden collaboration with filmmaker Neeraj Pandey. The two were to previously join forces on Chanakya, but the drama was subsequently put on the back-burner.
Instead, they have teamed up for a love story that is said to span 20 years, between 2002 and 2023. While Devgn and Tabu shot for the movie’s first schedule in February, the director is now conducting the second leg at Film City, Goregaon, with the supporting cast that includes Jimmy Sheirgill and Saiee Manjrekar. Producer Shreyans Hirawat, whose last offering was Freddy (2022), says that the leads will join the stint by the first week of April.
“Ajay ji is currently tied up with the release of Bholaa, and we will wait for him to re-join the shoot. We hope to complete the principal photography by mid-May, and plan to release the film around Diwali,” he shares.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha will be largely shot across Mumbai and Lucknow. “We will have one overseas schedule,” says Hirawat, adding that the music will be composed by Oscar winner MM Keeravani.
As much as the producer enjoys collaborating with Devgn, he admits that the opportunity to back Pandey’s vision made him come on board. “What attracted us to this project is Neeraj Pandey, as [our production house] seeks to work with top directors. We have worked with Ajay ji before on Shivaay [2016], and share a great working relationship with him.”
A romantic musical thriller is quite a departure for Pandey, who has been the mind behind A Wednesday (2008), Baby (2015) and the series Special Ops. When probed about the subject, the producer is reluctant to spill the details, stating, “All I can say is that it is a romantic thriller. It has action, but [staying true to] a typical Neeraj Pandey film, it doesn’t have too much of it.”
Salim Khan’s gesture is a sign of ethics and morality in today’s world-Shreyans Hirawat
8:08 AM
Manishaa R (DNA; August 22, 2017)
From re-releasing legendary classics like Amar Akbar Anthony, to acquiring the negative rights of over 1,300 big films for satellite release and eventually consolidating its position as one of the biggest distribution houses in the trade, Narendra Hirawat’s NH Studioz, commands a formidable reputation in the business of films. Narendra Hirawat is now joined in his distribution business by his young and dynamic son, Shreyans Hirawat, who is eager to take the 37-year-old legacy forward, with his innovative business moves. In a brief chat, Shreyans recalls the challenges on the distribution scene and Salman’s generous gesture to refund the losses incurred by distributors in Tubelight. Read on for excerpts from an interview...
Considering that you are one of the biggest stakeholders in the distribution business, does star power weigh high in terms of the acquisition and pricing of a film?
Unfortunately, star power does play an important role though there are several factors that play a decisive role in acquisition, be it the director, production quality, previous products from the same banner, besides the story line of the film.
How far according to you does distribution strategy impact the success of a film?
A successful theatrical release definitely defines the fate of a film and that’s where the strategy matters. It is very important to serve the right product to the right audience. Three of the films we released are pointers in this direction, namely Pink, Dear Zindagi and Begum Jaan. In all the three films, the decision to target the right audiences and the strategy made a difference. In fact, Begum Jaan performed well, despite competition from the Hollywood franchise Fast And Furious 8.
How did it feel when hugely anticipated films like Tubelight and Jab Harry Met Sejal failed at the box office?
It was disappointing as we had huge stakes in both the films and the box-office collections were upsetting. I guess the audience had distinctive expectations from the super heroes of these films and the films were not in sync with their outlook. Interestingly, the base plot appeared to be perfect for both the films.
Salim Khan refunded distributors partially for Tubelight when the film did not live up to box-office expectations. Comment.
The very idea of them considering the losses came as a relief to us. Having said that, it was undoubtedly a humble and big-hearted gesture. They have set out an example for everyone. Salim Khan’s gesture is a sign of ethics and morality in today’s world.
Do you think producers whether stars or non-stars should compensate distributors when highly-priced films fail to live up to box-office hype?
The basic ups and downs in the trade are inevitable, but when some films meet with a disastrous response, it could prove to be a back-breaking experience and a challenge for the distributors of those films. In such cases, the producers should seriously look at compensating distributors to whatever extent they can.
Do you think moderately-budgeted films prove to be a safer bet at the box office?
Yes, definitely but let’s accept the fact that no film is a safe bet until Friday. Nevertheless, any film made in a safe and moderate budget has a fair chance of doing good. Also, the fate of a film lies to a great extent on its relativity to the audiences.
In the ‘90s distribution houses reigned supreme. Now, a majority of these distributors have shut shop. What do you think about this?
Until the late 90s, film distribution was a very safe and rewarding business. It was a win-win situation for both the producers and distributors, wherein both were judiciously rewarded for the risks and returns. Post that period, the corporate houses took over and it was a lopsided balance with higher risks and lesser returns.
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