Boney Kapoor Reacts to Plagiarism Claims on IIFA’s Sridevi Tribute

“How can it be plagiarism? First of all, she has plagiarised,” says Boney Kapoor on Sridevi’s fan tribute video.

Boney Kapoor with Sridevi and his mother. 

(Photo: Yogen Shah)

The Quint got in touch with Boney Kapoor regarding fan Saba Arif's claim that IIFA picked up a video made by her. This is what the late actor's filmmaker husband had to say.

How can it be plagiarism? First of all, she has plagiarized. She has picked up bit and pieces of my film, Yash Raj films even other films for free without their NOC. Just because as a fan she has put it together and IIFA happens to use some of the clipping which were on public domain and added their own bit, it doesn’t mean plagiarism.

Boney Kapoor, Sridevi’s husband/Filmmaker

He goes on to say that IIFA picked up the same pieces but they have done it officially. They asked Boney Kapoor for permission and the filmmaker himself called the other producers for permission to use their film footage.

“There are three of my films, two of Yash Raj Films, Sadma and all this. In fact after they said they would use it, I have spoken to these producers. And some are still of her childhood. There is nothing that she has a copyright on. She has just put these things together,” Kapoor told The Quint.

She is just talking about this to gain eyeballs or some kind of mileage out of this. First of all what right does she has to pick up these clippings without NOCs from the respective producers? The entire YouTube video that she did, I am honoured and glad that she payed a tribute and she has done a excellent job but it doesn’t give her the right to accuse people of plagiarism. So I think it is just calling for attention nothing else. I feel it’s downright conceit and something which she is trying to own up which doesn’t belong to her. Just by putting these pieces together it doesn’t become her copyright.

Boney Kapoor, Sridevi’s husband/Filmmaker

While IIFA Awards' tribute to Sridevi got everyone teary eyed except one person who claimed to have made the audio visual played in the award function. She took to social media to claim her rights on the video.