Mera Naseeb plagiarized from book; Author to take legal action

Page

Next Last

TheRager

@TheRager

Achiever

+ 4

Posted: 11 years ago

Chitra B Divakaruni : My story was stolen for TV show

Ankur Pathak,TNN | Sep 27, 2014, 12.00 AM IST

inShare

4 Comments

READ MORE Zindagi|Samira Fazal|Mera Naseeb|Divakaruni|Chitra B Divakaruni

Chitra B Divakaruni : My story was stolen for TV show

A screen grab of the show, and the book

Chitra B Divakaruni alleges that popular TV show has borrowed its plot from her novel Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, known for acclaimed novels like Mistress of Spices and Palace of Illusions, has alleged that the TV show Mera Naseeb, which is currently airing on Zindagi, plagiarises her book, Sister Of My Heart.

Mera Naseeb was first aired on the Pakistani channel Hum TV on April 1, 2011 and the writer of the show Samira Fazal, even won an award for the screenplay.

When it started airing in India this week, the similarities between Divakaruni's 1999 book and the show were pointed to the author by a friend of her's.

Sister Of My Heart is the story of two Indian cousins.Born on the same day, they live together as sisters in a joint family with three mother figures. The book traces the siblings' struggles with outdated Indian customs, arranged marriages, separation, pregnancy and abortion. Divakaruni had followed it up with a sequel,The Vine of Desire, in 2002.

Divakaruni took to social media to lash out at the channel. "The story of my novel Sister of My Heart was stolen by Pakistani writer Samira Fazal & made into the TV movie Mera Naseeb which is now showing on Zindagi TV in India without my permission. I am extremely upset at this copyright infringement," she posted on her Facebook page on Friday morning.

The author has asked the channel to stop airing the show and is planning legal action against Fazal.

While the officials of Hum TV in Pakistan couldn't be reached for comment, Shailaja Kejriwal, Programming Head of Zindagi told Mirror, "I am not aware of this. All the shows that we air are acquired from Pakistan where they are pro duced."

Quote

Frequent Posters

jodah

@jodah

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

many people already know this from begining of the Mera Naseeb 7 we discussed this on the forum too
well but thats really sad i too heard its inspired by an Indian novel & the makers mention in last epi subs some parts of the story are inspired
but they didn't mention or credit the author or novel name

but i found it so weird the way writer twitted it on sanam page what can sanam do about it 😆

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

Anusha-B

@Anusha-B

Inactive

Posted: 11 years ago

Read this in the papers yesterday. I think they came to know only now as the show is watched by people only now in India. But u should always credit the original writer because after it is their work and baby..Plagiarism is a crime.

Quote

Kankshita

@thegameison

Stunner

+ 4

Posted: 11 years ago

I found out about this yesterday myself. They should have settled with the author but then this show is three years old now, maybe more? Why complain now? As for me, I looked up the book, found there's actually two of em and I'll read em. 😆

Quote

SophiaQ

@SophiaQ

Navigator

Posted: 11 years ago

Yeah, actually when this show was announced in Pakistan, it was SAID that it was inspired by Sister of My Heart. So technically credit was given. But yeah, she should've been informed and they should've gotten rights from her. Oops. I guess at that time, India-Pakistan relations weren't so good. Mistake on the part of the production house.

But seriously, it's 3 years old. She's going to sue now? Most people have already seen it. Haha.

Quote

TheRager

@TheRager

Achiever

+ 4

Posted: 11 years ago

^^^The author seems to have realized only after Zindagi started telecasting the show. Hence she is suing now.

Quote

.TheFool.

@.TheFool.

Inactive

Posted: 11 years ago

i think the writer could have deal with this in respective manner instead of hyping on social media & publicity stunts now what the need to tweet it to sanam ? doesn't make sense 😆
on a serious note the makers should've given credit to the the author ...
but now the author should be happy more copies of the book will be sold out 😆 i hope zindagi will solve this issue soon & let the viewers watch a good show in peace ..
sorry no offense

Quote

nevah_mind

@nevah_mind

Navigator

Posted: 11 years ago

Its not a question of giving credit. Its a question of copyrights and intellectual property.

The author has sold the rights to a production house who is going to produce it as a film in India.

When a transaction like that takes place, it is supposed to be safeguarding the rights of the purchaser as well, that this is solely their rights now. The producer in turn, has bought it in good faith, that this story has not been produced on screen before.

When there was a remake of or story inspired by Dhoop Kinare, (our version in our typical soap style went on for 200 plus episodes!😆) all legalities and rights were processed in the legal manner from the author in Pakistan.

Even though Khoobsurat 2014, was a totally different story, the PH bought the rights, so that it was taken further in the proper manner.

Just giving credit at the end of an episode is not good enough. The production house should have insisted on clearing copyright issues before beginning the project.

Maybe they took advantage of the fact that it will be a lesser known thing in India or to the author. Who would have thought that Zindagi would emerge and we would get to see some lovely programs from there.

To an artist/artiste/author, his/her creation is like his/her own child. So what if its emerged 3 years later, it still is infringement and will make a difference to the original creator of the book.

I just hope it is sorted out quickly in the best possible manner causing no damage to the author or the production house who has bought the rights.

Quote

neerjashingla

@Neerjaa

Sparkler

Posted: 11 years ago

This show is years old and now she just realized . just publicity stunt to get publicity .

Quote

nevah_mind

@nevah_mind

Navigator

Posted: 11 years ago

#10

Originally posted by: Neerjaa
This show is years old and now she just realized . just publicity stunt to get publicity .

Pretty much the same way Fawad has been a fabulous actor in Pakistan for a few years now, but most Indians have seen his work only now and realized how talented he is, after Zindagi channel was launched.

Quote

1 2 3 4

Mera Naseeb plagiarized from book; Author to take legal action

Chitra B Divakaruni : My story was stolen for TV show

Related Topics

Explore Topics