Rahat Kazmi's Dekh Bhai Dekh was scheduled for release last Friday week, but it had to be postponed as Anand Mahendroo, maker of the TV serial of the same name, sought a stay on its release as he objected to the title. Now Kazmi's film has been retitled Dekh Re Dekh and it will finally release tomorrow.
The matter was in the Delhi high court and was heard on 8th July when the film's producers asked for time to prove that the title was theirs. The confusion arose because of a slip on the part of the AMPTPP (Association of Motion Picture and TV Programme Producers).
Anand Mahendroo had registered the title, Dekh Bhai Dekh, years ago with the AMPTPP for his television serial. Subsequently, the same title was allotted by the AMPTPP to producer Search Films for its film.
When Anand Mahendroo, last year, decided to make a film with the same title, the AMPTPP is reported to have informed him that the title stood registered in his favour.
What AMPTPP forgot to tell Mahendroo was that he had the title for a television serial whereas Search Films had the same title for a film. Anyway, the AMPTPP apologised, in writing, to Search Films later.
Meanwhile, Rahat Kazmi's Search Films completed its film with Siddharth Koirala and Gracy Singh. The film was duly censored and announced for release on 10th July but Anand Mahendroo moved court on 8th for copyright infringement. Mahendroo however, is yet to start his film, Dekh Bhai Dekh, with Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman.