Gagging Gutthi

Jasmine Singh

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Johnny Depp was once asked to describe an actor and acting. “With any part you play, there is certain amount of yourself in it. It has to be, otherwise its just not acting, it’s lying.” If so is the case with fine acting, then it means every actor puts in itself in the character he or she plays, which also means they get attached to it and live it for a long time, sometimes off screen as well. And then, most actors become popular and synonymous with certain characters they play. If that is the entire story, then why shouldn’t an actor be allowed to play his or her popular character off screen?

TV channel Colors have sent legal notices to Sunil Grover and Ali Asgar, who played Gutthi and Dadi on Kapil’s show, Comedy Nights with Kapil. This is because they both were going to perform for Da-Bang, a live show in Surat on the February 19. As per the notice, Sunil or Ali isn’t allowed to perform as Gutthi or Daadi anywhere, irrespective of the fact that whether the outings are telecast on TV or not. As per the notice, Ali cannot even give his performance as an old lady with a jooda or grey hair and Sunil is banned from wearing ribbons. Even a slight reflection of CNWK characters would lead to copyright infringement. Does this sound unfair? Well, people who are a part of the industry give their take...

A sad turn

Sudeepa Singh, actor 

I wouldn’t like to get into a legal word exchange, but I do know that had I been in Guthi or Daadi’s place, I would have felt really sad. As actors, with all the hard work, they took their characters to every Indian household, and now if someone debars Guthi from even wearing a ‘ribbon’, it is indeed sad.

Unjust and uncalled for

Gurcharan Singh, actor 

This is uncalled for, and not a just thing for any actor who one, lives a character for long and two, becomes popular through a certain character. Even though a TV channel has all the rights, but allowing an actor to play their reel life character at any event for 15-20 minutes is not much. Yes, the channel should have a problem, if the actor tries to take a particular look from one show, and replicate it for another show.

All that hard work

Amberdeep Singh, writer 

It is very sad, but this is how channels operate. They have the rights for written word and on everything else. But as a script and dialogue writer, I think it is only fair to let an actor live a particular on-screen character, off screen as well, on stage or at any event. After all, all actors give their sweat and blood to make their character popular and they should have complete right to live with it.

No copyright please

Rana Ranbir, actor

I think an actor is always trying to experiment with characters, new looks and roles. This means, whether it is TV or films, they wouldn’t like to ideally replicate a screen popular character of theirs. Having said this, I also feel that an actor gets attached to a particular character, rises to fame with it sometimes, so he has all the right to keep it and portray it outside the show. I seriously don’t understand why should there be a copyright on it. 

jasmine@tribunemail.com