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Marathi screenwriters move HC against Shah Rukh-backed Netflix series alleging copyright infringement, claim '10 plot points' similar to their zombie film.
Shah Rukh Khan
A still from Betaal
While Betaal — written by Patrick Graham and Suhani Kanwar — revolves around a counter-insurgency squad that aims to displace tribals from a village, Wadekar claimed their Marathi feature is centred on an environmentalist who opposes a mining company that tries to drive away the villagers.
Drawing parallels, he said, "There are at least 10 plot points that are similar. We have depicted zombies as descendants of the Vetaal army from Shivaji's era while, in Betaal, they are shown as belonging to the British era. We had written a sequence where the army dances to folk music during a procession. A similar scene is included in their trailer."
Sameer Wadekar, writer
Though the high court dismissed their petition to put a stay on the show, he has a glimmer of hope. "The court has affirmed that we can seek damages if the plagiarism charges are proved."
Netflix remained unavailable for comment.
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