Warner Bros loses 'Hari Puttar' case

Bollywood movie Hari Puttar is to be released as planned after Warner Bros. failed to prove that the project infringes on the copyright of the Harry Potter film series.

The company filed a lawsuit against Puttar producers Mirchi Movies to prevent the film from hitting cinemas. A case at the Delhi High Court began last month.

A judge has now ruled that Puttar has not violated the intellectual property rights of Warner Bros. Mirchi representatives had argued that Hari is a common name in India, while "puttar" is Punjabi for son. They had also claimed that there are no other similarities between the films.

"It's clearly great to have won this case," Mirchi's chief executive Munish Purii said in a statement. "We are hoping for a good release, although the timing of the Warner case distracted us from marketing."

Warner Bros. spokeswoman Deborah Lincoln has stated that the ruling is currently being reviewed, adding that Mirchi are attempting to "confuse consumers and benefit from the well-known and well-loved Harry Potter brand".

Hari Puttar - A Comedy of Terrors follows the story of a 10-year-old Indian boy who moves to the UK. It will be released in India later this week.