Kathmandu, May 28 . Endemol Shine India, one of the leading production houses in India has served a cease and desist notice to IMAX Productions CEO, Mr. Arjun Narsingh KC for announcing the Nepali version of Bigg Boss, namely “Bigg Boss Nepal”. The rights for Big Brother worldwide are held with Endemol Shine Group and the rights for the same have not been granted to IMAX Productions or Sutra Modelling & Art Creation Pvt. Ltd. BIGG BOSS as the show is named in India and the trademark device of the eye are trademarks of Endemol Shine India.
The notice has been sent to Imax Production after they fraudulently announced an association with Endemol shine group at a press event held on 18th April 2019.
Endemol Shine India has declined the news of an association with Imax Productions or Sutra Modelling & Art Creation Pvt. Ltd. and Arjun Narsingh, CEO IMAX Productions, stating that Bigg Boss and Big Brother are copyrights of the Endemol Shine group and has never been licensed to Imax Productions or Sutra Modelling & Art Creation Pvt. Ltd.
The pictures of the conference on internet clearly showcase the fraudulent use of the logo of the Endemol Shine group on the banner used at the press conference. Further, the trademark ‘device of an eye’ which appears to be a rip off of the original trademark of ‘Bigg Boss’ was also used by Imax Productions sans permission.
Vide the said notice, Endemol Shine India has demanded an apology from Imax Production and has asked them to cease and desist from making any such statements regarding the production of Bigg Boss/Big Brother or this format in particular.
Further, Endemol Shine India and Endemol Shine Group has learnt that Mr. Arjun Narsingh KC is going around in the market in Nepal claiming to be the license holder of Bigg Boss. Endemol Shine has also come across some fake documents purportedly circulated/exhibited by Mr.
Arjun Narsingh KC to support his claim of having the license of the Format, Bigg Boss. These fake documents include a certificate from Endemol Shine Group and a Franchise Agreement shown to be entered between Endemol Shine Group and Sutra Modelling & Art Creation Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Arjun Narsingh KC has even forged the signatures of the CEO of Endemol Shine Group and the CEO of Endemol Shine Group’s International Business.
Endemol Shine Group hereby wishes to assert that these documents are fake and any person, firm and/or company dealing in any manner whatsoever with the aforesaid rights with respect to the said Show by way of investing/participating/producing/exhibiting/communicating any show based on Endemol Shine’s Format and trademarks are hereby informed that they shall be responsible for infringement of Endemol Shine’s rights including intellectual property rights in relation to the Show “BIG BROTHER” and will be doing so at their own risk as to consequences and cost.
