Knock Out producers to pay Rs 15 mn to Fox for copying act

MUMBAI: Producers AAP Productions and Sohail Maklai have to cough up Rs 15 million as damages, following a Bombay High Court ruling that their film Knock Out was a copy of the Hollywood blockbuster Phone Booth.

Firstly, judge Roshan Dalvi watched both the films on Wednesday and ruled in favour of 20th Century Fox the next day, putting a stay on the release.

Later, the producers approached a division bench of the HC against the order of single judge. After hearing the case for about an hour and a half, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud put a stay on the order passed by the single judge.

Making it clear that the relief granted to them was on condition that they deposit Rs 15 million with the High Court by 19 October, the bench at the same time directed the producers to maintain accounts related to business accrued by the film.

20th Century Fox had filed the case against the makers of Knock Out saying that the film was a remake of Phone Booth.