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”.

 

But one observant viewer just pointed out that “Churails” copied a French artist’s work

https://twitter.com/amna_tq/status/1296512516193947649

 

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.

Source: @malikafavre/ Instagram

 

And this is the design that the series used for the opening credits of “Churails”

Pretty similar, huh?

Source: A Glasshouse Production

 

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDx51HXjZtv/

 

Undoubtedly, people were really disappointed at this blatant plagiarism

It just adds a dark spot to the otherwise rather fantastic effort by the team.

https://twitter.com/floatingupright/status/1296560458581901315

 

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

https://twitter.com/BilkulSahiKaha/status/1296519880640991234

 

Some people joked that the team behind the “Churails” graphic at least changed some portions

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