Amit R Sharma's period sports drama "Maidaan," featuring Ajay Devgn in the lead role, faces legal hurdles upon its cinema release.
According to a report from News18, a writer based in Karnataka has accused the film, produced by Boney Kapoor and Zee Studios, of plagiarism. He claims that it borrows from his script about the life of India's former football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim. Consequently, a court in Mysore has issued a stay on the film's release.
Anil Kumar, a writer based in Mysore, took the time to share his side of the story on LinkedIn. He wrote, “In 2010, I started writing the story, and in 2018, I posted a poster about this, and I got in contact with ad director Sukhdas Suryavanshi through my LinkedIn post.
He called me to Bombay (Mumbai) and asked me to get the script. I have the whole chat history. He told me he’d make me meet Aamir Khan, but I couldn’t meet him for certain reasons. I gave him the story and registered it with the Screen Writers Association.
Sukhdas Suryavanshi became an Assistant Director on Maidaan. “Recently, I heard that a movie named Maidaan is getting released. I was surprised because I had the same story. When I looked at the teaser and their statements, I got to know that it was my story. They have twisted the main story itself and made this movie. I named the story Paadakanduka,” he added.
Following Anil's petition to the Principal District and Sessions Court in Mysore, the court has imposed a stay on the release of the film. The next hearing is scheduled for April 24.
Bay View Projects LLP, a co-producer of the film, issued a statement on Thursday. They noted that the order was legally ineffective since they received it after the movie's release. They also announced their intention to appeal against the order in the Karnataka High Court.
"Maidaan," based on a true story, stars Ajay Devgn in the role of Syed Abdul Rahim, a figure who made significant contributions to Indian football. The film also features Priyamani, Gajraj Rao, and Bengali actor Rudranil Ghosh in key roles, with a musical score composed by Oscar-winner AR Rahman.
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