A biographical movie called “Maidaan,” starring Ajay Devgn and depicting the life of former Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, faces accusations of plagiarism. It hit theaters on Thursday, April 11.
According to reports, a court in Mysore has directed the movie’s producers to stop its release. Anil Kumar, a scriptwriter from Karnataka, alleges that the movie copied his script. In response, Zee Studios and Boney Kapoor’s Bayview Projects LLP issued a statement, arguing that the court’s order was made without hearing their side of the story.
Allegations Against ‘Maidaan’ Makers
Kumar shared on LinkedIn that he began crafting his story in 2010, and by 2018, he shared a poster about it, catching the attention of ad director Sukhdas Suryavanshi. This led to a meeting in Mumbai where Sukhdas expressed interest in Kumar’s script. Kumar claimed to have the chat records to support this.
According to Kumar, Sukhdas promised to introduce him to Aamir Khan, although this never materialized due to undisclosed reasons. Nonetheless, Kumar handed over his story, which he had already registered with the Screen Writers Association.
Kumar later discovered that a movie titled Maidaan was in production, which surprised him as he recognized similarities between its storyline and his own. He asserts that the movie appears to have adapted his story, which he named Paadakanduka, with significant alterations to the plot.
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Legal Action Halts Release of Maidaan Movie
Kumar lodged a complaint with the Principal District and Session Court in Mysore, aiming to stop the release of the movie Maidaan. The court responded by issuing an order on April 8, instructing Zee Studios to halt the release. Kumar’s attorney informed News18 that the court decided to stop the release of the film, which stars Ajay Devgn and is produced by Zee Studios and Boney Kapoor.
The complaint was filed by the story writer Anil Kumar, who claims that the story, registered with the Screen Writers Association, is being misused by Zee Studios.
Maidaan Makers Respond
Zee Studios and Boney Kapoor’s Bayview Projects LLP made a social media post saying they received a court order stopping their film’s release. They explained they weren’t given a chance to defend themselves before the order was issued. They mentioned the order came after the film was already out, making it invalid.
@ZeeStudios_ pic.twitter.com/2C8EThwhSa
— BayViewProjectsLLP (@BayViewProjOffl) April 10, 2024But they’re appealing the decision in the High Court of Karnataka and asking for immediate action to stop the order. They reassured everyone that they’re following legal advice and will update on the situation. The film Maidaan, directed by Amit Sharma, had previews on April 10 and officially released on April 11 for Eid.
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Allegations Against ‘Maidaan’ Makers FAQs
Q.1. What is the controversy surrounding the movie “Maidaan”?
Ans. The controversy involves allegations of plagiarism against the makers of “Maidaan,” with claims that the script was copied from another writer’s work.
Q.2. Who has accused the makers of “Maidan” of plagiarism?
Ans. Anil Kumar, a scriptwriter from Karnataka, has accused the makers of “Maidan” of plagiarizing his script.
Q.3. What action did the court in Mysore take regarding the release of “Maidaan”?
Ans. The court in Mysore issued an order instructing Zee Studios to halt the release of “Maidaan” in response to Anil Kumar’s complaint alleging plagiarism.
Q.4. How did Zee Studios and Bayview Projects LLP respond to the court’s order?
Ans. Zee Studios and Bayview Projects LLP responded by stating that they were not given an opportunity to defend themselves before the order was issued. They are appealing the decision in the High Court of Karnataka.
Q.5. When was “Maidaan” officially released in theaters?
Ans. “Maidaan” had previews on April 10 and was officially released on April 11 for Eid celebrations.
