‘Shashank’ director denies his film is based on the life of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput
Bollywood actor's father is seeking a ban on films based on the life of his son
Days after Sushant Singh Rajput’s father moved the court to seek a ban on filmmakers looking to profit from his son’s tragedy, filmmaker Sanoj Misra has filed an affidavit stating his movie isn’t based on the late star in any form.
On April 20, Rajput’s father Krishna Kishore Singh moved the Delhi High Court against films and other ventures depicting the late Bollywood actor’s personal life, name, images, caricature, lifestyle, likeness in form of biopic or story. Of the projects in the works, movies such as ‘Suicide or Murder: A Star Was Lost’, ‘Shashank’ and ‘Nyay: The Justice’ are reportedly based on Rajput’s death.
According to reports, Misra, who is the director of ‘Shashank’, has argued back saying his movie is not a depiction of Rajput’s life, but rather focuses on Bollywood outsiders and their struggles.
“The film of defendant no. 7 (Mishra) ‘Shashank’ is totally based on portraying the struggle of outsiders in Bollywood. The theme and story is based on four young boys. Defendant no. 7 is also a great example of struggle as an outsider of Mumbai in Bollywood,” Misra told entertainment portal Bollywood Hungama.
Singh’s petition states no such project on Rajput’s life can go ahead without first seeking approval from the actor’s family. “The late actor, Sushant Singh Rajput was a well-known celebrity and had become a household name, thus it is right time that courts of our country shall acknowledge the right of celebrity at par with an intellectual property right since the personality of celebrities are being misappropriated for wrongful commercial gains at the cost of fame, reputation and privacy. The use of his name/image/caricature/lifestyle without his consent amounts to a violation of the personality right and copyright solely vested with his son,” the petition reads.
Rajput’s sister Shweta Singh Kirti also took to Twitter to stated: “To reiterate the obvious “Any production, or depiction of the private life of Sushant Singh Rajput is a blatant and willful breach of fundamental right to privacy which cannot be taken away without the prior approval of his legal heir.”
Rajput, who starred in films such as ‘Chhichhore’ and ‘Raabta’, reportedly died by suicide last year. The investigation into his death has stirred up a hornet’s nest in India, with governmental authorities looking into a possible drug nexus in Bollywood, while fans have cried nepotism, blaming industry insiders not allowing strugglers to break into the industry while giving preference to star kids with Bollywood lineages.