Top News

New Delhi: The legal battle surrounding the blockbuster film Dhurandhar: The Revenge has taken a significant turn after the Bombay High Court passed an interim order restraining filmmaker Santosh Kumar RS from repeating allegations that the film’s script was copied.

The order came in response to a defamation suit filed by writer-director Aditya Dhar, who denied accusations that the espionage thriller borrowed elements from Santosh’s registered script titled D Saheb. The case, titled Aditya Dhar v. Santosh Kumar RS & Ors., was heard before Justice Arif S. Doctor, who granted Dhar limited interim relief.

According to Bar and Bench, Santosh has been temporarily barred from repeating the statements flagged as defamatory. “Until the next date, the defendant (Santosh Kumar) shall be restrained from repeating words set out in the suit, and all other allegations of a similar nature. Issue notice,” the Court ordered.

The interim directive will remain in effect until April 16, when the matter is scheduled to return for further hearing.

How did the Dhurandhar plagiarism dispute begin?

The controversy emerged shortly after the release of Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the second instalment in the high-profile action franchise directed by Aditya Dhar. At a press conference held days after the film hit theatres, Santosh Kumar reportedly accused the filmmaker and the production team of copying his script.

Santosh Kumar claimed that the film’s narrative was derived from his previously registered screenplay titled D Saheb. The remarks quickly gained traction online and in media reports, drawing attention to the dispute.

Following the press conference, Aditya issued a legal notice denying any plagiarism. He also cautioned Santosh against repeating the allegations publicly. However, he reportedly did not respond to the notice, prompting the URI maker to move the Bombay High Court seeking legal relief.

Dhurandhar’s massive box office run

The legal dispute arrives at a time when Dhurandhar: The Revenge is dominating the box office. The spy thriller, starring Ranveer Singh, recently crossed the Rs 1,000 crore net mark in India, making it one of the biggest Hindi film successes in recent years.

The film has continued its strong run weeks after release and recently surpassed Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in domestic net collections, becoming the second-highest-grossing film in India after Pushpa 2.