After Delhi HC order, Bombay HC to hear Vashu Bhagnani’s side in Fanney Khan, Batti Gul Meter Chalu case

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court restrained producer Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Film Company and Pooja  Entertainment & Films Ltd from interfering with the distribution and release of Fanney Khan and Batti Gul Meter Chalu, which are being co-produced by T-Series. 

T-Series had filed the case claiming that Bhagnani was interfering in the release and distribution of the two films by issuing ‘baseless public notices’ asking various theatre owners and film distributors in the country to not enter into any agreements to release them. The producer also served notices to Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series, Prernaa Arora’s KriArj Entertainment and ROMP, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s production house last month, claiming to have acquired the rights of the movies from KriArj last year itself.

Bhushan’s lawyers stated in court that they had sent multiple replies to Bhagnani’s legal team in June itself, asking them to provide copies of the alleged agreements under which he was claiming the rights of Fanney Khan, starring Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao, and Batti Gul Meter Chalu, starring Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Yami Gautam. However, instead of responding to their requests, his team was sending notices to distributors across India to not execute any deals with T-Series or the films’ producers. T-Series’ lawyers argued that this amounted to unlawful interference and was creating tremendous uncertainty and suspicion over the company’s rights in these films, which was uncalled for and leading to severe losses.

Advocate Neel Mason of Mason & Associates, the law firm that represents Bhushan’s company, said their case is quite simple. “T-Series co-produced Batti Gul Meter Chalu with KriArj and Fanney Khan with KriArj and ROMP under written agreements, all of which were executed much prior in time than Vashu Bhagnani’s alleged agreements. These agreements prohibited KriArj from entering into any agreements with any third party without the written consent of T-Series. Therefore, any agreement that KriArj may have entered into with Vashuji’s companies, are void in law and cannot supersede our client’s rights,” he said, adding, “As regards why, when and where did KriArj execute these so-called agreements with Vashuji or what happened with the money paid to KriArj is for Kriarj to explain. Our Client cannot be made to suffer if KriArj has exceeded its rights and taken money from someone, without our client’s written consent.”

While observing that a lot of such matters were suddenly coming up before it, involving claims made by multiple third-party investors in these films, the Delhi HC directed the matter to be taken up together next week. In the meanwhile, it restrained Pooja Films and Pooja Entertainment & Films Ltd from issuing any notice or making any claims in relation to Fanney Khan and Batti Gul Meter Chalu. 

When contacted, Vashu, who is currently in London, said that he hadn’t got any notices about this development. He said he had filed a suit against Anil Kapoor Film and Communication, KriArj Entertainment, Bhushan Kumar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and the case will be heard by Justice Kathawalla in the Bombay High Court on Friday (July 13). I bought all the rights of Prernaa’s films last December (2017). Bhushanji is a friend and I don’t know what agreement he entered in with KriArj. I didn’t know Anil Kapoor is also a producer on Fanney Khan till I saw the trailer. Even Nishant Pitti’s name is there, while I, who have invested in the film, am nowhere in the credits. This is a case similar to that of Parmanu. I have the All-India rights and am hopeful of justice.”