Betaal Pachisi (TV series)

Betaal Pachisi is an Indian television series based on the comic strip The Phantom. The 49-episode Hindi series originally ran from 1997 to 1998 on DD Metro. It was directed by Sunil Agnihotri and starred Shahbaz Khan, Sonu Walia, Puneet Issar, Tom Alter and Vindu Dara Singh.[1][2][3]

Betaal Pachisi
Shahbaz Khan as Betaal
GenreFantasy
Based onThe Phantom
by Lee Falk
Directed bySunil Agnihotri
Opening theme"Ye To Hai Betaal"
Country of originIndia
Original languageHindi
No. of episodes49
Production
Running time45 minutes
Production companyDD National
Original release
NetworkDD Metro
Release26 May 1997 (1997-05-26) –
1998 (1998)

Cast

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Controversy

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The show faced a lawsuit when King Features Syndicate filed a case arguing that Sunil Agnihotri had copied the idea of The Phantom comic strips for the Betaal series.[4][5] However, the court ruled that only the unique expression of an idea could be protected, not the idea itself.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Star of Chandrakanta and Betaal Pachisi, Shahbaz Khan to cut his first album". India Today. 29 September 1997.
  2. ^ "Fanning out fantasy". The Hindustan Times. 8 October 1997. Archived from the original on 28 January 1999.
  3. ^ "TRPs of Krishna on DD falls as Betaal Pachisi draws lot of viewers". India Today. 28 July 1997.
  4. ^ Narayanan, Parameswaran (2007). Law of copyright and industrial designs. Eastern Law House. pp. 17, 46. ISBN 978-81-7177-190-5. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Phantom". Business World. Ananda Bazar Patrika Ltd.: 46 January 1997. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  6. ^ Mayur Suresh; Atreyee Majumder; Lawrence Liang. "Encountering the Sustaining Myths of Copyright" (PDF). Infochangeindia.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
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