Malayalam film ‘Lovely’ in legal trouble over CGI fly?

With both parties refusing to back down, the small fly at the centre of this storm is now part of a much bigger conversation about creativity and copyright

Hyderabad: A legal row has broken out between the makers of the Malayalam film ‘Lovely’ and the team behind the 2012 hit Eega, with the focus on an unlikely character, a housefly.

Producer Sai Korrapati, who backed SS Rajamouli’s Eega, has accused the Lovely team of copying the look and style of their iconic CGI housefly. He has issued a legal notice, claiming that the animated insect in Lovely closely resembles the one that captured hearts in Eega over a decade ago.

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The controversy comes just as Lovely begins streaming on Amazon Prime Video, in its original Malayalam version with English subtitles. The film, which was released in theatres on May 16 in Malayalam and Telugu, failed to perform well at the box office.

Directed by Dileesh Karunakaran, Lovely is now drawing attention not for its story, but for its VFX. The director has responded to the allegations, firmly denying any form of plagiarism. He stated that the film’s CGI was developed independently and that technical evidence exists to prove its originality.

While the matter may head to court, the dispute has already sparked curiosity among viewers. With both parties refusing to back down, the small fly at the centre of this storm is now part of a much bigger conversation about creativity and copyright