Matej
10-11-2007, 11:32 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071011/ennew_afp/entertainmentindialiteraturepottercourtreligion_07 1011142707
KOLKATA, India (AFP) - Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is suing organisers of a religious event for constructing a replica of her imaginary Hogwarts Castle in an eastern India city, officials said Thursday.
Rowling and her publishers Bloomsbury are seeking two million rupees (50,000 dollars) from the organisers constructing an elaborate castle from canvas and papier mache in Kolkata for the upcoming Durga Puja festival, court officials said.
The Delhi High Court has summoned the builders on Friday to present their case, they said.
The suit, which runs into 394 pages, argues the organisers of the Hindu festival can stage the upcoming event in the gigantic marquee only after paying two million rupees to the British author.
Rowling's fictitious world depicts the castle as an ancient school of witchcraft where her eponymous hero Harry Potter learns wizardry.
The marquee in Kolkata's Salt Lake district replicates the imaginary castle's outer contours and includes an imitation marble staircase and flagged stone floor in the entrance hall, lit with flaming torches, witnesses said.
The festival organising secretary, Santunu Biswas, said his team would go ahead with the preparations for the four-day festivities, eastern India's most celebrated annual religious carnival.
"What we are building is not a violation of copyright act anywhere in the world because it's a religious festival and has nothing to do with money-making," Biswas told AFP.
Another organiser, Robin Mukherjee, said he was stunned.
"The summons came at a time when the marquee is almost ready and we don't know what to do now as we cannot afford to pay the fine," the visibly angry official added.
"It's just a theme ...We have also modelled the Titanic and no-one sued us," he said.
KOLKATA, India (AFP) - Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is suing organisers of a religious event for constructing a replica of her imaginary Hogwarts Castle in an eastern India city, officials said Thursday.
Rowling and her publishers Bloomsbury are seeking two million rupees (50,000 dollars) from the organisers constructing an elaborate castle from canvas and papier mache in Kolkata for the upcoming Durga Puja festival, court officials said.
The Delhi High Court has summoned the builders on Friday to present their case, they said.
The suit, which runs into 394 pages, argues the organisers of the Hindu festival can stage the upcoming event in the gigantic marquee only after paying two million rupees to the British author.
Rowling's fictitious world depicts the castle as an ancient school of witchcraft where her eponymous hero Harry Potter learns wizardry.
The marquee in Kolkata's Salt Lake district replicates the imaginary castle's outer contours and includes an imitation marble staircase and flagged stone floor in the entrance hall, lit with flaming torches, witnesses said.
The festival organising secretary, Santunu Biswas, said his team would go ahead with the preparations for the four-day festivities, eastern India's most celebrated annual religious carnival.
"What we are building is not a violation of copyright act anywhere in the world because it's a religious festival and has nothing to do with money-making," Biswas told AFP.
Another organiser, Robin Mukherjee, said he was stunned.
"The summons came at a time when the marquee is almost ready and we don't know what to do now as we cannot afford to pay the fine," the visibly angry official added.
"It's just a theme ...We have also modelled the Titanic and no-one sued us," he said.