In 2020, during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a lanky figure emerged out of nowhere. Aamir Aziz was reciting his poem 바카라Sab Yaad Rakha Jaayega바카라 (Everything will be remembered) in his raw, hurried, visceral manner. The video went viral, and the words soon became a part of the lexicon of those resisting CAA바카라s discriminatory nature and the government바카라s efforts to quash protests. The words were echoed by Pink Floyd vocalist Roger Waters (adding how 'young Aziz' might have a bright future) at an event in London, demanding the release of Julian Assange.
Five years later, Aziz was told that verses from his poem had been used in an exhibit by renowned artist Anita Dube at the Vadehra Art Gallery in New Delhi. In a comprehensive statement issued by the 34-year-old poet/musician, he stated that he tried to get in touch with Dube to understand why she used words from his poem without his permission. Aziz noted how this wasn바카라t a one-off incident, but something she had also done earlier in a 2023 exhibition. He clarified that he doesn바카라t mind the use of his poem in a placard at a protest rally, but it바카라s hardly the same as a commercial exhibition fronted by a renowned artist. He also mentioned how Dube and her representatives responded with 바카라silence, half-truths and insulting offers바카라, which forced him to send a legal notice, and go public with his accusations. In her response, Dube has admitted that she made an 바카라ethical lapse바카라 by using words from Aziz바카라s poem, without checking with him.
From afar, this latest case of misappropriation appears to be another incident in the commercial art world, where those with clout prey on the vulnerable. According to theatre veteran Anamika Haksar, like most industries, even the art world can be 바카라exploitative, disgusting and absolutely abominable바카라 for upcoming professionals. She바카라s happy that Aziz took it upon himself to fight this out in the public sphere. 바카라There are many doyens of theatre, film who blatantly plagiarise and go scot-free,바카라 says Haksar. 바카라It바카라s happened to me two-three times, where a visual from my play has been entirely lifted,바카라 she recalls.
Haksar recounts how a young filmmaker in her acquaintance was made to work for four months on a script. However, he was neither acknowledged as the writer, nor paid. Haksar knows such incidents being depressingly commonplace in India, especially with actors in theatre, whose names aren바카라t mentioned in the brochure ahead of a play. A renowned writer, who didn바카라t wish to be named, but is known to Aziz, asked if Dube would be able to pull something like this with a Javed Akhtar or Gulzar. 바카라I바카라m seeing a lot of judgement against Aamir on social media, as if those who write protest poetry don바카라t need to feed their stomachs?바카라 they asked.
Advocate Naveen Nagarjuna, based in Delhi, notes that such cases have increased in recent years, since there is more awareness of a legal recourse. He explains that cases where compensation is mentioned in the court order take longer to fight. But the court usually passes an interim order, directing the artist and the gallery to remove the exhibit, and not sell till the conclusion of the trial. Looking at the prima facie facts of this case, Nagarjuna expects the court to pass an interim order, given that Dube has accepted an ethical lapse on her part in her statement. 바카라There바카라s a possibility that they might settle out of court,바카라 observes Nagarjuna. 바카라The art gallery and the artist will have a role to play in reaching a settlement with the complainant.바카라
Nagarjuna concedes that while the law is designed to protect those with less power, but it바카라s a system that can be gamed to oppress those fighting for their rights. 바카라I can바카라t speak for the larger system-at-hand, but there바카라s obviously a possibility that a case is dragged forever.바카라 Haksar isn바카라t surprised that we, as a society, are seeing this become more widespread. 바카라It바카라s bound to happen in a society so fixated on consumerism, capitalism바카라the rights of the poor and the powerless will be diminished at every possible stage,바카라 says the director of Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Jaa Riya Hoon (2018), clarifying she doesn바카라t put Dube in the same bracket as the rest, because she바카라s at least shown the decency to accept her mistake in a public forum.
According to the law, Dube was supposed to acknowledge Aziz바카라s work. 바카라It바카라s left to Aamir Aziz바카라s discretion바카라she needs his permission. And whatever terms he sets, she will have to accept before using his work,바카라 confirms Nagarjuna. It바카라s not good enough that Dube has put up a 바카라Not for Sale바카라 sign near the exhibit, as mentioned in her statement. 바카라Exhibiting in a gallery is a commercial activity,바카라 notes Nagarjuna. 바카라Even if she바카라s not earning money out of it, she is earning recognition.바카라
Haksar is concerned that with Dube being in the wrong and having accepted her lapse in judgement, this might turn into a witch hunt. 바카라People are exploited in all forms바카라why aren바카라t we outraged over that too? Why aren바카라t all these famous Bollywood producers called out similarly?바카라 Haksar says that while Dube could be an easy target, the outrage could also assume a sexist tenor. 바카라I hope we don바카라t become fascist in that sense바카라allowing a path for rectification.바카라
Nagarjuna doesn바카라t foresee the legal case dragging on for long, considering Dube has not denied her ethical lapse in her statement. Haksar believes this case might set a strong precedent for others. However, she is also concerned that many might not be willing to show the grit that Aziz has shown: 바카라Not just in the art world, but the space for poor people is shrinking. Politically verbal people are being silenced by powerful lobbies, and poor people are too afraid. The brave ones who speak out will face the consequences.바카라
