Hindi
Barfi! mired by controversy
MUMBAI: The much awaited cinematic offering from director Anurag Basu has run into controversy with Mumbai based Murphy Enterprises. The firm has sent a legal notice to the movie‘s producers UTV Motion Pictures and Ishana Films on 10 September for infringing the copyrights of their registered trademarks without obtaining a NOC.
As reported in the media, in the notice, the company has claimed that the film has used the words ‘Murphy‘, ‘Murphy Radio‘ and ‘Murphy Munna‘ in the title song as well as in the film without any prior written permission. They have also added that if the notice is not taken seriously, the company will be filing a legal suit against the producers that may lead to bringing a stay on the film‘s release.
Kapoor‘s character is named Murphy but he is addressed as Barfi by all around him. The lyrics of the song in questions go “Barfi jo amma ji ki kokh mein tha soya/amma ne murphy ka radio mangaya/barfi munna jaisa lalla/amma ka tha sapna/ munna jab haule haule duniya mein aaya/baba ne Ceylon wala station lagaya/radio on hua, amma off hui/toota har sapna.”
The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Rupa Ganguly and newcomer Ileana D‘Cruz.
Surjeet Kurup, the lawyer representing the company, feels that the title song of the film is not only a violation of copyright but shows the company in a bad way.
“In the song Ala Barfi, the brand Murphy Radio is unambiguously mentioned and perceivably in a negative light. It appears that the story line revolves round the theme that the lady desires for a baby like Murphy Munna which is also registered trademark with us,” he added.
He has been quoted in the media, “UTV Motion Pictures have done this blatantly without taking consent from the owners of this brand. It has annoyed the brand owners. We have issued a notice to the violators and are intending to proceed to file a suit for injunction and damages for Rs 50 crore.”
However, UTV maintains its innocence in the matter. “We are clear that there has been no infringement whatsoever and we are in the process of sending a response to the notice,” a UTV spokesperson told the media.
Hindi
Dhurandhar 2 trouble: BMC moves to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios
Blacklist move follows torch, drone and permit violations; producers lean on a legal workaround
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s civic bosses have turned up the heat on a big-ticket sequel. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has moved to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios after a string of safety and permit breaches during the shoot in Mumbai. The message is blunt. Flout the rules, forfeit the privileges.
Officials cite repeated violations, including lit torches in a high-security heritage zone, a drone flown without clearance, location changes, a terrace used without permits, and two generator vans run without approvals. Mumbai Police stepped in during a night shoot in the Fort precinct, seizing five mashals and warning the crew to avoid flammable props. A separate case was filed at MRA Marg Police Station against location manager Rinku Rajpal Valmiki for flying a drone without permission.
The civic playbook is escalating. A-ward officials have recommended blacklisting the studio from the state’s single-window filming portal, forfeiting a Rs 25,000 deposit and imposing a Rs 1 lakh penalty. The deputy municipal commissioner has cleared the proposal for action, with notices to follow.
Yet the production’s pulse remains steady. A source close to the unit says filming continues and the March 19 release, timed for Eid, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, remains intact. Co-producer Jio Studios can route fresh permissions through an unblacklisted applicant, a loophole that keeps cameras rolling even if named applicants are barred. The ban bites, but it does not block.
The film, starring Ranveer Singh, arrives with commercial heft. The previous instalment minted over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, sharpening the incentive to stay on schedule. The sequel also faces competition from Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups by Geethu Mohandas, headlined by Yash.
For now, the crackdown raises compliance costs, not curtains. Permits can be rerouted, penalties paid and shoots rescheduled. In Mumbai’s film economy, the show rarely stops. It simply finds a new entry point and races to make its date.
