Stills from Bengali film Poran Jai Joliya Re and Hindi box-office hit Namastey London

Poran Jai Joliya Re producer Shree Venkatesh Films remained mum on its next move a day after the high court ordered the film to be withdrawn from halls on Friday.

While sources said the production house was poised to move the Supreme Court, advocate Soumya Roy Chowdhury, representing Shree Venkatesh Films, said on Wednesday: “We can’t comment as the matter is sub judice.”

The high court has found Shree Venkatesh Films guilty of violating provisions of the Copyright Act. Poran Jai... is a lift from Bollywood film-maker Vipul Shah’s Namastey London, it said.

Though the court crackdown may seem like a loss of face for some in the film fraternity, industry insiders think it won’t change Tollywood’s copycat nature. Be careful while copying, rather than think fresh, is the lesson Tollywood seemed to have learnt from the Poran Jai... episode.

“People outside Bengal don’t hold Bengali films in high regard anymore and I don’t think the court’s verdict will change anything. Tollywood directors will still copy, only now they will procure the copyright,” said director Bappaditya Bandopadhyay, who has spoofed the “copy” trend in his upcoming film Houseful.

Director Raj Chakraborty, whose Chirodini… Tumi Je Aamar and Challenge were remakes of two Telugu hits, confirmed Bandopadhyay’s fears: “There are only a handful of scriptwriters with fresh story ideas in Tollywood and they need to be polished, but where is the time to do that? If I don’t get an original idea for my next movie soon, I will have to make another remake.”

But, of course, after taking the copyright of the original film.

“Remakes come cheap. One needs to shell out just Rs 2-3 lakh to buy the copyright of a film,” said a producer who didn’t want to be identified.

The lesson has come for a price. Pulling out Poran Jai... from 115 halls across Bengal will have serious financial repercussions on exhibitors, said exhibitor-distributor Arijit Dutta.

“It’s a huge loss for us as Poran Jai... was doing well. We will replace the film with Angshumaner Chhobi but I am not sure what kind of footfall it will draw,” rued Mitra cinema owner Dipen Mitra.