R.G. Anand v. Delux Films
AIR 1978 SC 1613 · Supreme Court of India
Copyright protects expression, not ideas, themes or plots; there is no infringement if the same theme is presented differently.
Unit I · Intellectual Property Law
Subsistence, originality and the idea–expression dichotomy
Study aid only. Confirm statute numbers with the current bare Act and the official OU LL.B. (3-YDC) 2024–25 syllabus PDF.
Statute sections
| Act / instrument | Section | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Copyright Act, 1957 | 13 | Works in which copyright subsists |
| Copyright Act, 1957 | 14 | Meaning of copyright |
| Copyright Act, 1957 | 16 | No copyright except as provided |
| Copyright Act, 1957 | 17 | First owner of copyright |
Landmark cases
Eastern Book Company v. D.B. Modak
(2008) 1 SCC 1 · Supreme Court of India
Copy-edited Supreme Court judgments attract a thin copyright in original skill and judgment, not in the raw text of the judgment.
University of London Press Ltd. v. University Tutorial Press Ltd.
[1916] 2 Ch 601 · Chancery Division (England)
Originality means origin from the author, not novelty of thought; examination papers were original literary works.