No Mastiii for filmmakers as Instagram skit triggers a copyright row

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A rare intellectual property dispute involving a short-form content creator and a Hindi film has surfaced, signalling a potential new flashpoint for India’s entertainment industry as competition for viewer attention intensifies.

Radio jockey and content creator Ashish Sharma has accused the makers of Mastiii 4 for copying his viral Instagram skit "Shaq Karne Ka Nateeja" without permission, and the Delhi high court has issued a notice to the producers of the adult comedy film. Sharma has alleged that a scene in the film was lifted from this skit, prompting experts to warn that filmmakers and other long-form creators may increasingly face copyright claims from short-form content creators.

Producers have often faced lawsuits from authors and playwrights, but this is the first instance of its kind in India where a short-form content creator has accused filmmakers of lifting material from social media. To be sure, films like Bachchhan Pandey have incorporated meme-like references from social media into the plot without being challenged by their creators.

“Under Indian copyright law, content creators enjoy copyright protection from the moment an original work is created and fixed in any tangible form, irrespective of whether the industry is organized or informal. The Copyright Act, 1957 grants creators exclusive rights over the reproduction, adaptation, communication and commercial exploitation of their work.

If a film, show or digital platform copies protected expression without permission, it amounts to copyright infringement," said Ishita Vats, intellectual property associate, Kochhar & Co. Creators can seek legal remedies such as cease-and-desist notices, injunctions to stop further use,