A
legal
notice
sent
by
a
writer
named
Aditya
Kripalani
accusing
Sudhir
Mishra
of
stealing
his
script
has
the
prolific
and
distinguished
filmmaker
very
very
angry.
He
intends
to
take
legal
action
and
fight
against
false
copyright
claims
that
are
made
for
publicity.
Says
Sudhir,
"Before
making
such
claims
or
substantiating
them
by
writing
about
them,
people
should
read
my
script
for
Driver
which
I've
apparently
stolen
from
this
Kripalani
chap.
First
of
all
I
am
not
scriptwriter
for
Driver.
Althia
Dalmaj
Kaushal
is.
She
was
suggested
to
me
by
my
producer
Ekta
Kapoor.
Driver
is
about
forbidden
love,
that's
what
attracted
Ekta
Kapoor
to
my
cinema.
Kripalani
is
basing
his
assumption
on
what
he
has
read
about
my
film
in
the
media.
Even
Arvind
Adiga's
White
Tiger
is
about
a
chauffeur
and
a
rich
man."
Sudhir
claims
that
the
story
which
Kripalani
claims
as
his
own
was
given
to
him
by
producer
Manu
Kumaran
and
journalist-writer
Pankaj
Kapoor
7
years
ago.
"Manu
hired
Aditya
to
write
a
story
for
a
film
that
I
was
to
direct.
But
Manu
didn't
like
Aditya's
story.
So
Manu
decided
to
write
it
himself.
That
matter
was
between
Manu
and
Aditya,
not
me.
I
was
supposed
to
direct
that
film
for
Zee
Telefilms.
There's
proof
of
the
registration
of
that
story.
So
now
Kriplani
is
in
trouble.
Because
Kriplani
apparently
stole
Manu
Kumaran's
idea
to
write
his
novel
Back
Seat.
What
is
he
talking
about?
I
think
he
got
excited
when
he
read
your
article
about
Ranbir
Kapoor
being
in
the
project.
This
man
has
fallen
into
his
own
trap."
Sudhir's
lawyer
is
now
preparing
a
counter-notice.
"My
lawyers
are
on
the
job.
But
what
are
Kripalani's
allegations?
He
hasn't
read
my
script.
So
how
does
he
know
my
script
is
taken
from
him?
During
my
entire
career,
I've
always
done
original
work.
If
I've
to
plagiarize
at
this
stage
of
my
career
it'd
have
to
from
much
better
sources
than
this.
The
pleasure
of
scripting
my
films
comes
from
writing
about
my
own
impressions
and
experiences.
That's
why
I'm
a
filmmaker.
Why
would
I
copy
this
kid?
If
I
owe
any
inspirational
debt
to
anyone
its
Guru
Dutt,
no
one
else."
Sudhir
says
the
idea
of
making
a
film
on
the
neo-affluent
class
of
Delhi
is
inspired
by
his
cousin.
"This
cousin
had
run
away
from
home
looking
for
me.
He
became
a
servant
in
someone's
house
in
Delhi.
So
it's
story
based
on
incidents
from
my
own
family.
Just
a
chauffeur's
presence
in
my
film
doesn't
make
it
anyone
else's
property.
Fortunately
my
script
has
evolved
in
front
of
my
producer
Ekta.
So
she
knows
where
it's
coming
from.
If
I
wanted
to
remake
Kripalani's
book
I'd
have
asked
Ekta
to
buy
it,
no?
In
fact
she
offered
to
buy
Sagarika
Ghosh's
book
for
me."
Sudhir
now
intends
to
take
serious
action
against
Kripalani.
"Besides
legal
action,
once
I
finish
my
script
I
will
take
it
to
every
writer's
guild
in
Mumbai
and
ask
for
it
to
be
compared
with
Kripalani's
book.
I
think
people
who
defame
without
basis
should
be
barred
from
our
industry.
Kripalani
has
harmed
the
prospects
of
any
aspiring
writer
who
comes
to
us.
We'll
think
twice
before
allowing
them
access
into
our
office.
As
for
Kripalani,
no
one
will
hire
him
in
future
either.
It's
really
sad.
Why
didn't
he
contact
me
if
he
thought
he
had
a
grievance?
There's
proof
that
he's
lying
in
every
line
of
his.
My
friends
know
about
Driver
for
months
because
I
share
my
ideas
openly.
I'm
not
a
sneaky
plagiarist."