Journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has initiated legal action against Dharma Productions Private Limited and Netflix Entertainment Services India LLP, alleging that the Oscar-contending film Homebound infringes upon her copyright. The legal dispute centres on the Neeraj Ghaywan-directed film starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, which shares its title with Changoiwala’s 2021 novel.
Changoiwala has moved the Bombay High Court route after first triggering the mandatory pre-institution mediation process under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. In an email to Hindustan Times, the author confirmed that a legal notice had already been issued to Dharma Productions prior to approaching the court, outlining what she describes as extensive infringement of her work.
Homebound, which released theatrically on September 26 following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, has recently been shortlisted as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards. The film’s makers have stated that the narrative is inspired by a 2020 New York Times article by journalist Basharat Peer titled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway, which explored the lives of migrant workers during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Changoiwala, however, contests this claim. In her communication to HT, she pointed out that both her novel and the film are set against the backdrop of the 2020 COVID-19 migrant exodus. She further alleged that after watching the film, she observed what she describes as substantial similarities in the second half, including scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, sequencing of events, and overall creative expression.
According to the author, her lawyer issued a detailed legal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, providing a scene-by-scene account of the alleged infringement. Changoiwala claims that the production house refused to acknowledge any violation in its responses to the notice, prompting her to initiate formal legal proceedings.
The author has also accused the filmmakers of “passing off” by using the title Homebound, arguing that it mirrors her book’s title and cannot be dismissed as a coincidence. She further stated that the film was scripted in 2022, a year after the publication of her novel, strengthening her claim of prior ownership.
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Changoiwala has indicated that she will seek multiple remedies, including a permanent injunction against the film’s distribution, removal of all allegedly infringing material, a change in the film’s title, and monetary damages for copyright infringement. Addressing the imbalance of power in the dispute, she stated that while the decision to pursue legal action was difficult, it was necessary to protect writers from having their work misappropriated without consent.
Responding to queries from HT, Dharma Productions declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations. A spokesperson for the production house stated via text that the matter is being addressed legally and that no public comment would be made at this stage.
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