Bollywood's HARI PUTTAR delays over copyright row

The Hollywood studio, which owns the rights to the Harry Potter movies, has taken the Indian producers to court over the film's title, saying it sounds similar to the name of their young wizard hero.

"Hari Puttar" was due to open on September 12, but would now hit theatres two weeks behind schedule after some television networks refused to run commercials for the film, producers said.

"The film is releasing on September 26. We delayed the release as the Turner (channels) did not carry our spots," Munish Purii, chief operating officer of Mumbai-based production house Mirchi Movies, told AFP by phone.

"We have realigned our marketing plans," he added.

A Delhi court is due to hear the copyright case this week.

Makers of the Indian film say their product has nothing in common with the boy wizard movies.

"Our film bears no resemblance to the Hollywood film Harry Potter and it is a completely different story," Purii earlier told reporters.

"Hari Puttar" is a comedy about a 10-year-old Indian boy whose family moves to England.

Warners' next Harry Potter installment, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," is due for worldwide release next summer. It is the sixth movie adaptation of J.K. Rowling's books.