Churails is such a breath of fresh air in Pakistani media but this dark spot looms large
Zee 5 original web series ”Churails” has to be the talk of the town nowadays. Starring Sarwat Gillani, Yasra Rizvi, Nimra Bucha, and Meharbano in lead roles, the series marked a digital revolution for Pakistan. The clan spys cheating husbands, punishes zaalim mard and uncover dark secrets.
People have showered praise on “Churails” for being the first official Pakistani web series on an international streaming platform
They’ve also appreciated the content for being such a breath of fresh air, from the usual clutter of saas bahu Pakistani dramas. This comes from the director who made the equally lauded movie “Cake”.
Churails is probably one of the best Pakistani shows I've ever seen.
And those who disagree probably are the people who want women to die in the kitchen.🤗#Churails pic.twitter.com/0YtwXiMnLP— Zia TALKS 🔄 (@ziatalks) August 19, 2020
I finished it and I love it.
The way everything goes towards an end. The thrill, mystery, the soundtrack….. This paki series has surprised me so much.
And the number of guest appearances by well known actors!!!
Its a must watch #Churails pic.twitter.com/lyiEU5UXYB— NicoDiAlec 🌈 #SaveShadowhunters (@NicoAngelochxh) August 18, 2020
But one observant viewer just pointed out that “Churails” copied a French artist’s work
Half a minute into the web series #churails and I spot some blatant plagiarism in the opening credits. @malikafavre’s powerful illustration has been quite conveniently ripped off. @nytopinion @nytimes @NewYorker pic.twitter.com/SNtF22eCGd
— Amna Tariq (@amna_tq) August 20, 2020
For a closer look, this is the original illustration designed by Malika Favre, a French illustrator, and graphic artist
She designed it for a feature in New York Times.
And this is the design that the series used for the opening credits of “Churails”
Pretty similar, huh?
If you have watched “Churails”, you’ll know that that the illustration was the face of their ‘Mard ko dard hoga’ campaign
The show has also distributed these flyers featuring a reference to one of the major plot points of the whole show.
Undoubtedly, people were really disappointed at this blatant plagiarism
It just adds a dark spot to the otherwise rather fantastic effort by the team.
Sad and distasteful indeed https://t.co/hLolyirGFW
— چائے (@ChaiParast) August 20, 2020
aahhh no wonder it looked so familiar! such a shame 🙁 https://t.co/r0TqhOglvk
— Sana (@kirmsana) August 20, 2020
cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool not disappointing at all, cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool https://t.co/ygz0aWyQsJ
— floating_upright (@floatingupright) August 20, 2020
They were disappointed that such prestigious shows, with such elaborate budgets, and international platforms supporting them shouldn’t have fallen to the level of using someone’s art without crediting them
OH COME ON!
People need to take these things seriously. Especially when working on high budget projects like these. https://t.co/nOQc44VdhY
— BuffetKhor (@BilkulSahiKaha) August 20, 2020
Some people joked that the team behind the “Churails” graphic at least changed some portions
Hey at least they changed the suit 🤷♂️🤦♂️ https://t.co/bz68ijLY6l
— The Fool™ On The Hill (@VirtuallyExists) August 20, 2020
Lol. At least they replaced tie with a bow.
— عبدالرؤف AbdurRauf (@engineered_4Pak) August 20, 2020
someone forgot the locket's shadow
— Laiba Saleem (@Liberated_Laiba) August 20, 2020
The show has really set some high standards about how Pakistani content can be. But seeing them allegedly copying an international illustration is plain disappointing. Copyright infringement is a serious issue and being from a country where artists and creators rarely get their due credit, it’s about time that we take it seriously.
So, do you think that the illustration is copied? Let us know in the comments below.
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Cover image: @wearechurails via Instagram / A Glasshouse Production