Chhapaak: Writer Rakesh Bharti Demands For A Stay Order On Deepika Padukone’s Film’s Release

Chhapaak starring Deepika Padukone and Vikrant Massey is a very ambitious project. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film shows the harsh reality of acid attacks in our country. The film is loosely based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal where we will get to see Deepika Padukone essay a similar role in the film.

With just a few days left to the release of the film, the cast of Chhapaak is making sure that it reaches out to the audience with its promotional spree but it looks like the film has hit a roadblock yet again! Earlier, we had informed you that a case of copyright violation had been filed against the makers of the film and now the complainant has asked for a stay order on the film’s release.

Chhapaak landed in legal trouble when writer Rakesh Bharti had filed a copyright violation complaint against producer-actor Deepika Padukone and Meghna Gulzar at the Metropolitan Magistrate court. He claimed that the film is based on a script that was penned by him and has accused the makers of Chhapaak for stealing it from him. In his complaint, Rakesh Bharti had also revealed that he and his son had planned to produce the film in the coming future. He also stated that they had given the tilted of the film as Black Day.

The writer, yesterday evening, held a press conference in Mumbai, declaring that he has filed a petition against the makers of Chhapaak and is seeking a stay order in order to stop the film’s release on January 10. The writer had solicited a stay for interim relief in the High Court on December 27, 2019, and now the case will be heard on January 7.

Bharti claims that he has been developing this idea of the film since 2014 and had even registered it with the screenwriters’ association after contacting Laxmi Agarwal in the same year. He also said that he has a written copy of the document from 2015 which proves hat Laxmi gave him the right to write and direct a film based on her life. The film was supposed to be jointly produced by Indian Cinema Fund Studios and Orange Room Production.

Rakesh even stated that he had met Parth Arora from Fox Star Studios in 2014 and he registered the bound script in 2016. Earlier the writer had also told that the production houses have done some remedial changes in his script and made the film Chhapaak as a new concept. Rakesh Bharti’s complaint further alleged that he had even approached actors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut to star in his film.

Bharti said that he had approached Meghna after he got to know that Meghna is making a film on a similar project in 2017. “I sent her a mail asking how she could make the film as I had already registered the subject. I told her if she wants, we can do the film together, but she did not reply,” he said. He also said that he had a conversation with Alok Dixit, Laxmi’s husband. “He told me why are you troubling Meghna Ji, we are getting good footage with her. I just told him that even if he wanted to make the film with someone else, he should have told me and asked for a NOC,” revealed Bharti.

Revealing why he was so late on filing the suit, Bharti said he was busy trying to approach the makers last year. “I don’t want any monetary compensation, just credit,” he said.

Let’s see how the makers of the film react to this now.

Android & IOS users, download our mobile app for faster than ever Bollywood & Box Office updates!