In a significant legal development within the Indian entertainment industry, journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has launched formal proceedings against prominent production house Dharma Productions and streaming giant Netflix. She alleges that the critically acclaimed film Homebound constitutes unlawful plagiarism of her 2021 novel bearing the identical title.
Legal Action and Alleged Infringements
Changoiwala has initiated a mandatory pre-institution mediation application under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. This step is a legal prerequisite before she can file a formal suit in the Bombay High Court. The author's core contention is that the film, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, has copied substantial creative elements from her literary work.
She asserts that the producers have not merely used the same title but have reproduced significant portions of her novel in the movie's second half. This includes specific scenes, dialogues, the narrative structure, and the sequence of events. "Upon watching the film, I discovered that the producers have not only misappropriated the title of my book but have also blatantly reproduced substantial portions of my novel," Changoiwala stated in correspondence.
Timeline and Dharma's Response
The author's legal team sent a detailed notice to Dharma Productions on 15 October, outlining the alleged infringements on a scene-by-scene basis. According to Changoiwala, the producers' replies to this notice refused to acknowledge any violation, compelling her to pursue formal legal channels. She further argues that the film's scripting in 2022—a year after her novel's publication—suggests prior knowledge of her book. She labels the use of the identical title as "a flagrant act of passing off" that cannot be coincidental.
When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Dharma Productions stated the company is "responding to the claim legally and cannot comment anything right now." Netflix has not issued any public statement regarding the allegations at this stage.
Remedies Sought and Broader Implications
In her court application, Puja Changoiwala is seeking a comprehensive set of remedies. These include a permanent injunction to stop the film's distribution, the removal of all allegedly infringing material, a change of the film's title, and monetary damages for the copyright infringement. Acknowledging the power dynamics at play, she remarked, "I know I'm challenging powerful entities by taking this step, but I believe it's important for writers to defend their work when it's misappropriated."
This legal dispute emerges amidst Homebound's successful international run. The film was recently shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards, was screened at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, and has won accolades at various international festivals. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between creative inspiration and intellectual property rights in the digital content era, setting a potential precedent for how similar disputes are handled in the future.
