Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 23, 2018)

Launched on Wednesday, the trailer of Tiger Shroff-starrer Baaghi 2 gave fans of action films more than one reason to rejoice. While Shroff carried a promise of lavish high-octane action sequences with this glimpse, social media users were quick to point out a glaring flaw in the teaser. That director Ahmed Khan failed to credit the Telugu film, Kshanam, on which this actioner is based, did not go unnoticed.

Disappointed, director of the acclaimed outing, Ravikanth Perepu, tells midday that he wishes “the makers had at least given the writers their due credit”. “I have a neutral stance on the issue at this moment. The film released two years ago. The makers of Baaghi 2 had purchased the official rights of the film. But giving the writers [of Kshanam] credit is essential, especially since their movie is being made on a national scale,” Perepu says.

The director acknowledges that the Hindi outing has been adapted to suit the sensibilities of the audience turning up to watch a Bollywood film. “But the source material is the same. I hope they credit us in the film at least. They should do so for the sake of the writers.”

Perepu’s 2016 outing, starring Adivi Sesh and Adah Sharma, revolved around an NRI who returns to India to help his ex-lover find her kidnapped daughter. The Tamil film, Sathya, is also adapted from this venture. While the original had lesser action sequences than that promised in fitness buff Shroff’s venture, at first glance, it appears to trace a similar plotline.

A source tells mid-day that though Kshanam has been credited in the film, the recent development can already hamper relationships. “If the makers of Baaghi 2 release another trailer which includes the credits, the matter should be resolved. While there’s no scope of a legal implication, relations may needlessly be strained. Kshanam’s production house has already put in a word to the producer of Baaghi 2.”

Social media users too did not take kindly to the filmmakers overlooking the credit. One user wrote: “When you were willing to buy the remake rights of a Telugu film, you will set a good precedent when you acknowledge it in the credits. No one is going to value your product any less.”