Dispute over Fanney Khan distribution rights continues as Bhagnani files FIR against Arora
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 19, 2018)

A month after Vashu Bhagnani filed a case against the team of Fanney Khan alleging they hadn't rightfully credited him as distributor, he has filed an FIR against former co-producer KriArj Entertainment. The case is registered against company members Prernaa and Protima Arora, and Arjun N Kapoor, and forwarded to the Economic Offence Wing (EOW). Bhagnani's lawyer Vibhav Krishna tells mid-day of the two-part complaint that his client continues to fight for credit in Fanney Khan.

"KriArj has sold the India theatrical distribution [rights] to my client for Rs 10 crore. Rs 5.5 crore was to be paid when signing the agreement on December 16, 2017, and the rest, a week before the release [of the film]. Since Prernaa needed money, my client paid her Rs 8.5 crore in advance. Now, [co-producers] T-Series tells us we don't have rights to distribute the film," says Krishna.

Bhagnani's FIR also pulls up Arora for apparently violating a bulk deal they had entered into. "Bhagnani's company, Pooja Entertainment And Films Limited, entered into a bulk deal to get the theatrical distribution rights in India for Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran, Fanney Khan, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, Kedarnath, and a couple of other ventures. As for a deal made for Pad Man, that my client had also invested in, Kriarj Entertainment had instructed Sony Pictures to pay Bhagnani a sum from the money collected after the release. The payment was to be made by April 15, but it hasn't been done."

The legal team of Bhushan Kumar's T-Series had reportedly stated that in a previous case registered in Delhi over the dispute surrounding Batti Gul Meter Chalu, the court had ruled in their favour. "The EOW has summoned Altaf Hussain, who handles the finances of KirArj with the account books, and copies of the agreements. Prernaa has assured them that he will explain [matters]," Krishna adds.