It is often questioned why there is no copyright on ideas. Governed by the Copyright Act, 1957, The copyright law protects the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works & producers of cinematographs films and sound recordings. However, this protection is awarded to the works and a mere idea is not protected under the Act. It is the expression of that idea that is protected. Imagine the typical Bollywood, boy meets girl folklore. The idea has been successfully produced and re-produced in the glorious hundred years of Indian cinema- the same idea, the same underlying theme, but each time(presumably) a different presentation, a different script, a different expression. If the first idea of Laila-Manjnu or Heer-Ranjha was protected, we would never had the opportunity to watch those endless romantic movies!
Thus, there is an economic logic that drives this underlying reasoning of the Copyright Act in India (as any other IP protection Act for that matter). And the economic rationale is if the fist individual who claims an ownership of the idea is given such an exclusive right, then we provide him with a rent-seeking opportunity merely on the basis to be the first one to have an idea.
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