NEW DELHI: Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of as many as 240 programmes produced and telecast by Doordarshan are up for grabs as Prasar Bharati has been unable to trace their contract papers. The programmes include iconic serials such as the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Circus (1989), Aarohan starring R Madhavan and Pallavi Joshi (1996), and Kotta Basti, a telefilm directed by renowned filmmaker M S Sathyu.
In a notice on June 21, the Prasar Bharati invited stakeholders associated with the programmes to stake their claim for their rights with full documentation within 45 days. If no claim is received by the deadline, Prasar Bharati will be deemed the absolute owner of the IPR or copyrights over those media assets. It can then broadcast or syndicate them to other media houses.
The list of programmes — of which documents are missing — comprises arts, music and drama productions, including ghazal shows of Asha Bhosle, Jagjit Singh, and popular singers Hussain brothers. The list includes classics like Ulta-Pulta of Jaspal Bhatti, Byomkesh Bakshi (Rajit Kapoor), Bhoothnath (Ashok Kumar, Benjamin Gilani, Arif Zakaria and Neena Gupta) and Pachpan Khambhe Lal Deewarein (Aman Verma and Meeta Vashist).
Stakeholders need to submit attested copies of all IPR/supporting documents like contracts, agreements or other relevant records justifying the claim. “Original documents shall be required to be produced in due course.” Bonafide claims will be settled after proper verification, the notice said.