KOCHI: In the wake of the controversy over copyright issue involving the Thrissur Pooram’s images and sounds, Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty and the producers of the multilingual movie ‘The Sound Story’ - in which Pookutty plays the lead in the Tamil version ‘Oru Kadhai Sollatuma’ - on Thursday rubbished the claims made by some sections that they are unable to upload the pooram videos on the social sites since they flashed a message of copyright infringement.
On the charge that pooram videos of ilanjithara melam, panchavadyam and pancharimelam was being prevented by Sony Music on the grounds it had secured the copyright of the percussion ensemble for the multilingual movie, producers of the movie and Resul Pookutty, on Thursday, clarified there was no need for apprehension and they had given only the movie’s soundtrack to Sony Music.
“We have recorded five tracks for the movie Sound Story. They are ‘Beetein na yeh pal‘, pooram song, panchavadyam by Kongadu Madhu and team, pancharimelam by Peruvanam Satheeshan Marar and team and ilanjithara melam by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and team. Those tracks were recorded exclusively for our movie. Sony holds exclusive rights over the sound designed and mixed by Pookutty only for the film. The copyright issue will only come into play if the content of the album is used partially or fully by third parties on social media without permission from the copyright holder. No manual claim is made by Sony Music,” Prasad Prabhakar, who helmed ‘The Sound Story’ told Express. The production house has not sold any rights of the percussion recitals and Thirussur Pooram’s ilanjitharamelam to Sony Music. “We have only sold the rights of the soundtracks recorded for our movie,” Prabhakar said.
Significantly, the producers said if copyright issue would have cropped up if the film’s soundtrack along with pooram footage was uploaded on social sites. Pookutty said the allegation that he sold the copyright of pooram is completely baseless, malicious and false. “ Sony Music is talking about the copyright of the Sound Story album, and not Thrissur Pooram or its percussions. So the allegation that Resul Pookutty sold pooram is clearly either plain ignorance or based on some agenda. Why and Where this originated is something that literate Malayalees should ponder over seriously. I am pained by the questioning of my secular credentials and artistic integrity in this senseless squib,” he said.
The Cochin Devaswom Board reiterated there is no need for any apprehension in this regard. “ For filming pooram, they will have to secure permission from the temple management. Other than filming the elements of pooram, they cannot stake any claim over the pooram festival,” said CDB president A B Mohanan.
Experts said there might have been some similarities between the uploaded videos and the original content. In such instances, YouTube might have sent a notification tool from its Content ID tool to the copyright owner. Sony might have claimed it. But they could have scoured the video and found out the truth.