GECs
Court rules against Sony in Shubh Vivaah case; Taal gets some lead time
Sony Entertainment Television suffered a setback today after the courts ruled against it in a copyright violations case.
According to the court ruling, Taal Communications, promoters of the weekly matchmaking show Swayamvar, which is slated for launch on national broadcaster Doordarshan, have been given a lead time before Sony can launch its own blockbuster marriage reality show Shubh Vivaah.
As per information available, the ruling states that if Taal launches Swayamvar on or before 30 June, Sony will have to wait at least two months before it can launch Shubh Vivaah. However, if Swayamvar is not launched within this period, Sony is free to launch its own show immediately.
Taal, promoted by Anil Gupta, a former consultant with Zee, and actor politician Vinod Khanna had originally planned to kick off Swayamvar on DD1 last November.
When Sony announced on 28 August its own plans to launch Shubh Vivaah with former queen bee of Bollywood Madhuri Dixit as the host, Taal went to court. At the heart of its case were issues of copyright, originality and ownership of intellectual property.
Taal claimed that the original concept belonged to it and that it had made several presentations to the channel over the past three years without any response after which they approached DD and got approval.
Sony Entertainment CEO Kunal Dasgupta, when contacted, expressed disappointment at the judgment contending that the idea of marriage could not be copyrighted. He however, made clear that the show would ultimately go on air, adding that having waited seven months, he could wait another four.
Manish Popat, COO, UTV television content & the show’s producer, said: “I think it’s a fair judgment. At least it brings clarity to the issue rather than leaving things hanging, as is the normal case in India as far as legal matters are concerned. ”
Popat also expressed doubts over Taal’s ability to launch Swayamvar in the time given by the court.
One reason for the “speedy” ruling could be that both sides had lined up legal luminaries to fight the case. Representing Sony was Ashok Desai while Kapil Sibal and Pravin Anand spoke on the part of Taal.
Taal, according to industry sources had asked for a private settlement, to get the issue resolved at the earliest, which Dasgupta was not willing to accede to. Sources indicate Sony was willing to pay Rs 10 million as a settlement but Taal wanted Rs 150 million. At the time of writing, indiantelevision.com could not ascertain whether any compensation had been demanded by Taal for delays in the launch of Swayamvar as damages. Also, it was unclear whether demands had additionally been made for damage to Taal’s and co-promoter Vinod Khanna’s reputation.
Keeping the dispute between Sony and Taal aside, the ruling could well prove to be a landmark as far as IPR is concerned.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
