Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai
Encyclopedia
Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai is an upcoming Bollywood
comedy film
directed by Ravi Chopra
, starring Salman Khan
, Govinda
, Tabu
, Lara Dutta
, and Boman Irani
. The film is scheduled to release on March 02, 2012.
, which charged that the movie blatantly plagiarized the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny
. Chopra and the production company, Mumbai
-based BR Films, denied the charges in court in May 2009; the movie's release was to be delayed until June 2009 by order of the Bombay High Court
. Fox sought damages of $1.4 million; this was the first time a Bollywood filmmaker was taken to court by a Hollywood company over the remaking of a film. Fox had given Chopra permission "to make a film loosely based on the Oscar winning movie" but concluded the final product was a "substantial reproduction" of the original.
When BR Films’ Ravi Chopra began filming his Govinda-Lara Dutta comedy Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai, he was clear that he’d completely overhauled and re-written an Indianised version of My Cousin Vinny. Apparently, when he began the film, Ravi had sought the remaking rights but was assured that since he was taking only an idea and he’d written a totally fresh screenplay, there was no need to buy the rights. He said that he’d even got written permission from the makers of My Cousin Vinny to go ahead with his Hindi film. But between the starting of the film and its completion, the market changed colours. BR Films and BIG, the Reliance wing that had the distribution rights, soon locked horns over the price — the latter wanted BR to re-negotiate terms but the former felt it was now being offered peanuts. With the film ready to hit the theaters but BIG in no mood to do the needful at an unaffordable price, Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai languished in the cans until the Chopras decided to simply end the deal and release it themselves. With perfect timing, a lawsuit was slapped on BR Films by Twentieth Century Fox for flicking their film without buying the rights!
B R Films, which was accused of plagiarism by Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox, had settled the case out-of-court for an undisclosed amount.
The Kolkata
Telegraph
, listing a number of other Bollywood movies "inspired" by Hollywood blockbusters, noted that the case would "decide whether Indian filmmakers can continue to get their 'inspiration' with impunity, or buy rights the legal way."
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Ravi Chopra
Ravi Chopra
Ravi Chopra is an Indian movie producer and director.Ravi has directed thus far the movies, Zameer , The Burning Train , Mazdoor , Dehleez , Baghban , and Baabul...
, starring Salman Khan
Salman Khan
Salman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...
, Govinda
Govinda (actor)
Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
, Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
, Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta Bhupathi is an Indian actress, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, and former Miss Universe.-Early life:Dutta was born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh to a Punjabi father and an Anglo-Indian mother. Her father is Wing Commander L.K. Dutta and her mother is Jennifer Dutta...
, and Boman Irani
Boman Irani
Boman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
. The film is scheduled to release on March 02, 2012.
Cast
- Salman KhanSalman KhanSalman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...
- GovindaGovinda (actor)Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- Lara DuttaLara DuttaLara Dutta Bhupathi is an Indian actress, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, and former Miss Universe.-Early life:Dutta was born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh to a Punjabi father and an Anglo-Indian mother. Her father is Wing Commander L.K. Dutta and her mother is Jennifer Dutta...
- Aashish ChaudharyAashish ChaudharyAashish Chaudhary is a former Indian model and an actor who appears in Bollywood films. He was first noticed in the action movie, Qayamat in 2003. He then appeared in movies like Girlfriend, Shaadi Ka Laddoo, Fight Club and Teesri Aankh...
as Vikram Malhotra - Vishal MalhotraVishal MalhotraVishal Malhotra is an Indian film and television actor and a show host. Malhotra was first seen hosting Disney Hour Zee TV in 1995, and as a teenager in Hip Hip Hurray in 1998. He is also known for his physical resemblance to the Vishal Malhotra. He also hosted Disney Time on Sony Entertainment...
as Jimmy Khanna - Boman IraniBoman IraniBoman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
- Rajpal YadavRajpal YadavRajpal Yadav is an Indian film actor, known for his comedy oriented roles.-Early life and education:Rajpal Yadav was born and brought up in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where he received his education.He did his college from Sardar Patel Hindu Inter College, Shahjahanpur.He played in Shahjahanpur...
- Satish ShahSatish ShahSatish Ravilal Shah is a Hindi and Marathi film and television actor best known for his comedy films. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the ever popular 80's sitcom Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi directed by Kundan Shah and Manjul Sinha. He is famous for playing the role of Municipal Commissioner...
- Zakir HussainZakir HussainZakir Hussain may refer to:* Zakir Hussain , classical tabla player* Zakir Hussain , president of India* Zakir Hussain , Bollywood actor whose films include Sarkar and Johnny Gaddaar...
Plagiarism charge
The director was served with a legal notice in 2009 by 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, which charged that the movie blatantly plagiarized the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny
My Cousin Vinny
My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 American comedy film written and produced by Dale Launer, directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill and Fred Gwynne...
. Chopra and the production company, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
-based BR Films, denied the charges in court in May 2009; the movie's release was to be delayed until June 2009 by order of the Bombay High Court
Bombay High Court
Bombay High Court at Mumbai, Maharashtra, is the High Court of India with jurisdiction over the states of Maharashtra & Goa, and, the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli...
. Fox sought damages of $1.4 million; this was the first time a Bollywood filmmaker was taken to court by a Hollywood company over the remaking of a film. Fox had given Chopra permission "to make a film loosely based on the Oscar winning movie" but concluded the final product was a "substantial reproduction" of the original.
When BR Films’ Ravi Chopra began filming his Govinda-Lara Dutta comedy Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai, he was clear that he’d completely overhauled and re-written an Indianised version of My Cousin Vinny. Apparently, when he began the film, Ravi had sought the remaking rights but was assured that since he was taking only an idea and he’d written a totally fresh screenplay, there was no need to buy the rights. He said that he’d even got written permission from the makers of My Cousin Vinny to go ahead with his Hindi film. But between the starting of the film and its completion, the market changed colours. BR Films and BIG, the Reliance wing that had the distribution rights, soon locked horns over the price — the latter wanted BR to re-negotiate terms but the former felt it was now being offered peanuts. With the film ready to hit the theaters but BIG in no mood to do the needful at an unaffordable price, Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai languished in the cans until the Chopras decided to simply end the deal and release it themselves. With perfect timing, a lawsuit was slapped on BR Films by Twentieth Century Fox for flicking their film without buying the rights!
B R Films, which was accused of plagiarism by Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox, had settled the case out-of-court for an undisclosed amount.
The Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
Telegraph
The Telegraph (Kolkata)
The Telegraph is an Indian daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Kolkata since 1982. It is published by the ABP Group and the newspaper vies with the Times of India for the position of having the widest widest circulation of any newspaper in Eastern India.According to the Audit...
, listing a number of other Bollywood movies "inspired" by Hollywood blockbusters, noted that the case would "decide whether Indian filmmakers can continue to get their 'inspiration' with impunity, or buy rights the legal way."