After HC rejects his petition to stall Bala's release, aspiring filmmaker Kamal Kant Chandra to file fresh suit against makers demanding story credit
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 9, 2019)

Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala may have opened to glowing reviews, but it will be a while before the makers can heave a sigh of relief. Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana assistant director and aspiring filmmaker Kamal Kant Chandra — who had filed a case in April with the Bombay High Court against Khurrana, director Amar Kaushik and producer Dinesh Vijan, accusing them of lifting the central plot of a prematurely balding man from his project, Wig — has decided to fight the legal battle anew. On Thursday, the High Court rejected his petition to stall Bala's release, but instructed him to make amendments in his case and approach the court again.

Talking to mid-day, Chandra says, "On November 4, the Supreme Court disposed the case and directed the High Court to take up the matter as soon as possible. But the hearing was listed for Thursday, a day before the film's release. In their argument, the HC bench said that the film's rights have been sold by Dinesh Vijan [producer] to Jio Studios, who aren't the party defendant to the suit. So, the court, in the notice of motion passed, has given me the liberty to make amendments and file a suit again, marking Jio Studios as one of the parties."

It has been a six-month long legal battle between Chandra and the makers of the social comedy. Even as he gears up to file a fresh suit, Chandra claims that he seeks credit for the story of the Amar Kaushik-directed project and has little interest in monetary compensation. "I am confused why the judiciary [slated the hearing for the day] when the film was due for release. The bench asked me [if I wanted to] consider claiming monetary compensation. But that is not what I want. I will continue fighting until the truth comes out."