New Delhi, May 12 -- Yes, but only within the limits of the Copyright Act, 1957. For literary works published during the author's lifetime, copyright generally lasts for the author's lifetime plus 60 years, calculated from the beginning of the calendar year following the year of death.

Therefore, if an author dies in 2030, the 60-year period begins on 1 January 2031. The heirs, estate, assignee or other copyright owners can commercially exploit the work during that period, but cannot extend copyright beyond the statutory term merely by creating a company, trust or estate.

No. Creating a company, LLP, trust or estate may help with management, control, licensing, royalty collection and succession planning, but it cannot extend the statuto...