Just days after its Oscar nomination celebration, the critically acclaimed film Homebound has been hit with a serious plagiarism lawsuit. Journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has initiated legal proceedings against Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and streaming giant Netflix, claiming the film unlawfully copies her 2021 novel of the same name.
From Oscar Buzz to Legal Battle
The film, which features actors Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, recently earned a prestigious spot on the Oscar shortlist. It was selected among the top 15 contenders for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. However, the mood swiftly shifted from jubilation to confrontation following the author's allegations.
Puja Changoiwala, in a detailed communication, stated that both her book and the film center on the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020. She alleges that the filmmakers did more than just borrow the title. "Upon watching the film, I discovered that the producers have not only misappropriated the title of my book but have also blatantly reproduced substantial portions of my novel in the second half of the film," she explained.
The Core Allegations and Legal Steps
Changoiwala contends that specific scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, and the sequence of events from her novel were reproduced without permission. She emphasizes that the film's script was written in 2022, a full year after her novel was published in 2021, making the similar title and content "cannot be a coincidence."
The legal process began when her lawyer sent a formal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, providing a scene-by-scene breakdown of the alleged infringement. According to Changoiwala, the production house "refused to acknowledge the violation" in their reply. This led her to file an official application with the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority under the Commercial Courts Act, with plans to pursue the case in the Bombay High Court.
She is seeking several legal remedies:
- A permanent injunction to stop the distribution of the film.
- Removal of the allegedly infringing material.
- A change in the film's title.
- Monetary damages for copyright infringement.
Dharma's Response and Source Material Conflict
When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Dharma Productions offered a brief statement via text: "We are responding to the claim legally and cannot comment anything right now." This stance sets the stage for a potentially protracted courtroom battle.
Complicating the matter is the film's credited source material. The producers have stated that Homebound is officially adapted from a New York Times article titled 'A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway' by Basharat Peer, who also co-wrote the screenplay. This claim directly conflicts with the author's allegations of novel plagiarism.
"I know I'm challenging powerful entities by taking this step," Changoiwala said, "but I believe it's important for writers to defend their work when it's misappropriated and exploited without their consent." The outcome of this case could have significant implications for intellectual property rights within the Indian film industry, especially for works dealing with recent historical events like the pandemic.
