Following Jindal Steel's 'The Steel of India' campaign win at the Cannes Lions, securing two Lions, Wieden+Kennedy India raised concerns about not being credited for the campaign's creative ideation. The recognition for the campaign's creative work was given to Kondurkar Studio.

The Studio along with Early Man Film, won a Silver and Bronze Lion respectively in the Film Craft category on the second day of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

After its win, Kondurkar Studio and its founder, Amrish Kondurkar, have been subjected to a wave of negative, unfounded, and unsubstantiated media coverage regarding the 'The Steel of India' campaign.

According to the studio, in a mail received to Manifest and other media houses, the film was developed based on the client's brief, aiming to highlight Indian resilience with the brand line 'The Steel of India' and sign off with 'The Sound of India'.

However, Kondurkar Studio had no prior knowledge of any ideas shared by the larger agency with the client. Kondurkar left his previous role in January 2023, and the client approached Kondurkar Studio in late July 2023, well after his departure, negating any claim of idea theft.

The statement declared that Kondurkar Studio continues to defend its position, asserting that their work was independently developed and remains an original creation. "The controversy highlights the challenges faced by smaller studios in gaining proper recognition amidst larger industry players," shared the studio.

The film (above), a montage genre, creates a narrative from various shots and scenes, celebrating the power of steel and India's resilience.

The studio shared that the allegations made by Wieden + Kennedy India of copyright infringement are baseless, supported by misrepresented screenshots suggesting direct copying.

Earlier in May, the agency had filed a complaint against Jindal Steel, accusing the company of unilaterally terminating their contract and using the agency's concept without authorisation. Wieden + Kennedy India provided evidence to demonstrate the similarities between the two campaigns, showcasing how Jindal Steel replicated the same set of examples through a sequence of images: 

The Delhi High Court found no wrongdoing by Kondurkar Studio, highlighting broader corporate concerns rather than individual actions, validating the studio's position of independent creation.

The statement added, "In reality, our film is a unique creation. The film created by Kondurkar Studio, brought to life by the talented director Ayappa from Earlyman Film, involved no collaboration or communication with the larger agency during its development. It is therefore absurd for them to demand credit for a film they had no part in conceptualising or producing. The entire process from briefing the director, to sharing treatment notes, to conducting PPM, shoots, and post-production, was carried out independently by Kondurkar Studio and Earlyman Film. After dedicating years to building a reputation for integrity and creativity, it is disheartening to face such baseless allegations. Kondurkar’s transition to an independent path was driven by a desire to pursue creative freedom and innovation. It is unfortunate and unjust for his reputation to be attacked by unfounded allegations from larger industry competitors."

Kondurkar Studio in a statement shared with media houses urges to maintain journalistic integrity, verify facts before publishing, and avoid supporting larger agencies at the expense of independent creators. The studio aims to remain dedicated to delivering innovative and original creative solutions while upholding the highest ethical standards.