Hyderabad: A lawsuit has been filed seeking a stay on the release of the upcoming Amitabh Bachchan starrer Jhund, which is scheduled for hearing on May 28. The film is directed by Sairat helmer Nagraj Manjule.
The suit has been filed in the court of Additional District Judge Ranga Reddy at Miyapur, Telangana by Nandi Chinni Kumar, a Hyderabad based independent filmmaker who alleged copyright violation.
Jhund deals with the story of Vijay Barse, coach and founder of the NGO Slum Soccer Foundation. Vijay encouraged slum children to play soccer, or football, and avoid falling prey to bad habits. Among others, he was the coach of Akhilesh Paul, a gangster turned slum soccer player.
A story on Vijay Barse's life cannot possibly be complete without showing Akhilesh Paul, who went on to play slum soccer as an Indian captain. Nandi Chinni Kumar claimed he has bought exclusive copyright of the story of Akhilesh Paul, who has reportedly now told him he sold him the rights only for a documentary and not a feature film. Moreover, Kumar claimed, the Jhund producers have telephonically informed him that they have bought rights of Akhilesh Paul's story from the man himself, but are yet to share anything with him in writing.
"I have bought the exclusive copyright of Akhilesh Paul, who is a don turned slum soccer player and went on to play slum soccer as Indian captain. He was motivated by his coach Vijay Barse. Now, Nagraj Manjule ji is making a film on the real-life story of Vijay Barse. Barse has sold the right to make a film on his life story to T-Series, who are the producers of the film. Akhilesh Paul informs me in 'reply legal notice' that he has sold the rights to make a film on his life to Nagraj Manjule, which is nothing but breach of contract. He also told me that he never sold me the rights to make a feature film on his life. Rather, he sold it to me for making a documentary," Nandi Chinni Kumar told IANS.