One Shivaji case dismissed

By: Settu Shankar
Friday, August 10, 2007
Even a mega film like Shivaji cant avoid a lawsuit. The film was slapped with two cases, one by a Congress Party Congress Party worker who said that the pictures of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on villain Adisheshan's table in one of the scenes. The petition filed by him seeks a ban on the films screening and the sale of the DVD's and VCD's of the film.

The damage asked for is 50 crores, an ok amount when you consider the huge mega budget of the film. The Chief Justice of the Chennai High Court, AP Shah, didn't allow the petition saying that it was meaning less taking into consideration the fact that the film has crosses atleast 100 days in all its centres. The judge said, "The films producer, actors and director didn't mean to insult the national leaders. Therefore, I dismiss the case and suggest that the petitioner does not file such petitions in the future."

The judge further commented that the film's content was not malicious in any way whatsoever. An inquiry has been constituted to further probe the issue by judges Mukhobathyay and K Suguna. The other case against the film was filed by a Sudalikannu who claimed the story of Shivaji is actually his and was used without his knowledge.

The case was dismissed the petition because the petitioner didn't provide the adequate documents. After being refused once, the petitioner again approached the court with a review petition, the notices of which were sent the films producer and director. Sudalikannu has also moved the court to ban the dubbing of the film in Japanese, Chinese and Hindi until a decision is taken about the case. The film will soon cross 100 days in most of its centres.