Producer Ganesh Jain has issued a public notice in film trade publication Complete Cinema, asserting sole, exclusive and perpetual ownership of the rights to Chudail, the Sunny Leone and Rahul Dev-starrer feature film previously titled Koka Kola.
According to the public notice, Jain claims to have acquired the film’s entire negative rights, including sound and picture negatives, along with copyright and other intellectual property rights, from M/s Sugar & Spice Production, a partnership firm represented by Chirag Dhariwal and Param Deep Sandhu.
The notice states that the transfer stems from a finance agreement and term sheet dated June 3, 2019, with the arrangement subsequently finalised on November 3, 2020.
Jain has asserted that his ownership covers worldwide rights in perpetuity and extends across existing as well as future modes and formats of exploitation.
The rights cited in the notice include theatrical and non-theatrical exhibition across conventional and digital formats, as well as multiplex and other exhibition rights. It also covers digital exploitation through streaming, downloading and various forms of video-on-demand services.
Television and broadcasting rights claimed by Jain include free-to-air and pay television, cable, satellite, DTH, DBS, IPTV and terrestrial television networks.
The notice further asserts rights relating to remakes, sequels, prequels, dubbing and subtitling, along with publishing, merchandising, theme park and mobile and PC gaming exploitation connected with the film.
According to Jain’s declaration published in Complete Cinema, Sugar & Spice Production no longer retains any copyright or intellectual property rights in the project.
The public notice cautions individuals, companies and other entities against entering into transactions for the acquisition, sale, assignment or transfer of any rights relating to Chudail through any party other than Jain. It states that anyone doing so would act at their own risk and could face legal consequences.
The notice has also invited any person, entity or copyright society claiming an objection or competing interest in the film’s rights to submit a written claim, supported by documentary evidence, within 10 days of publication.
Chudail, earlier known as Koka Kola, features Sunny Leone and Rahul Dev in key roles.