Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 2: ‘Byari’, a feature film that had won the 'best feature' film award and bagged national award, the 'Golden Lotus', has been barred from being exhibited anywhere henceforth. This order was issued by a court here.

Well-known writer, Sara Abubakar, had alleged that the story of the film was lifted directly from her novel, 'Chandragiriya Theeradalli' and hence it is an act of plagiarism. The additional district and sessions court upheld her contention.

The movie was made by Altaf Hussain, who also acted in the lead. It was directed by Suveeran. The film had won the national 'Swarna Kamal' award.

Sara, after coming to know that the film was based on her novel, approached the court in 2011 against the producer and director. Judge of the third additional district and sessions court here, Muraleedhar Pai B, in his judgement, passed an order against exhibition of the movie henceforth. The court also ordered payment of two lac rupees to the author for plagiarism. It also ordered the defendants to pay interest on the said amount for eight years and 12 days, which is the under-trial period, and also to meet court expenses.

'Chandagiriya Theeradalli', which was published in the form of a series in ‘Lankesh Patrike' weekly magazine, had been widely discussed by the public. Sara said that she had no other option but to approach the court as the story of her novel was adopted for the film without her permission.

She said that senior advocate, the late Gaurishankar, had argued her case for about ten years. Because of ill health, he handed over the case to senior advocate, Shyama Rao, she noted, and thanked the advocate for making sure that she won the case.