Model and actor Sudhanshu Pandey sues Rakesh Roshan, Sanjay Gupta.
By Sreejith Vallikunnu
Hrithik Roshan’s upcoming film, produced by his father Rakesh Roshan and directed by Sanjay Gupta, is facing legal hassles.
According to a Mumbai Mirror report, model and actor Sudhanshu Pandey is suing the makers of the yet to be named film, for copyright infringement of his story, screenplay and dialogue.
“I spent two-and-a-half years nurturing this script. It’s my story and was to be the debut production, made under my banner Raw Stock Production Private Limited. I met Sanjay Gupta in May and he agreed to come on board as director and co-producer of the film. Together, we met Balaji Telefilms and pitched the story to them, they instantly agreed to join us as co-producers,†Pandey told Mumbai Mirror.
“We had Hrithik in mind for the lead and after one script-reading session with Sanjay, the actor gave his nod and informed that he wanted his father to hear the script. When Rakesh Roshan heard the script, he made it clear that the film would be presented and produced under his banner FilmKRAFT Productions,†he added.
Meanwhile, Pandey sent two legal notices to Gupta and Rakesh Roshan on December 5.
In the notice, he claimed that he had a meeting with the two on October 11 where he was told that he would be offered 2 percent of the profit and could be involved in the project as the associate producer.
He alleged that they didn’t even agree to give any credit for the story, screenplay and dialogues and also stopped taking his calls after the meeting.
Then he filed a complaint with the Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) and claimed sole and exclusive ownership of the script.
Gupta and Rakesh Roshan have reportedly denied all of Sudhanshu’s allegations.
Gupta clearly stated that he is not interested to address these “one-directional, baseless allegations, without any proof”.
“I am not denying that I met Sudhanshu or discussed a script with him. But this is not that script,†he told Mirror.
“How does anyone know what script it is when nobody has announced anything yet?” he also asked.
“I have not officially announced the project. I think this explains it all,” Roshan responded to the Mirror.