Maidaan Makers BREAK Silence On Plagiarism Claims, Court's Stay Orders: 'We'll Move the Matter...'

Zee Studios and Boney Kapoor’s Bayview Projects LLP reacted to Mysore court’s orders to put a stay on Maidaan’s release. On Wednesday, News18 had learned that Principal district and session court in Mysore issued an order to put a stay on the film’s release after Karnataka-based scriptwriter, Anil Kumar accused the film of plagiarism. He claimed that he wrote the film’s script and shared it with Maidaan’s assistant director Sukhdas Suryavanshi. They allegedly had a series of exchanges about converting the script into a film but nothing panned out. He claimed that Maidaan was an adaptation of his script.

Boney Kapoor’s Bayview Projects LLP issued a media statement addressing these claims and the court order. They said that they were not given a prior notice and are filing an appeal against the order. “Dear all, we have just been served the copy of the Order of the District Judge restraining the release of the film. At the outset, we would like to place on record that the said order passed by the District Judge is an ex-parte order, without giving us an opportunity of being heard,” they said in a statement.

“We were not served any notice prior to the filing of the said suit or hearing of the matter. Additionally, the said order has been passed after the release of the film and therefore, any such order passed that retrains the release of the film is infructuous under law. However, we are filing an appeal against the order before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka. We shall move the matter before the Hon’ble High Court for urgent reliefs in order to stay the operation of the said order,” they added.

“Without prejudice to the aforesaid, we are taking all the steps as we have been legally advised, kindly be assured that the release of the film can continue. We shall update you regarding the further developments regarding this, once we move the matter before the Hon’ble High Court. Best regards Punkej Kharabanda COO Bayview Projects LLP (sic),” the statement concluded.

Maidaan tells the tale of coach SA Rahim and his football team that won the gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games. The film has opened to positive reviews.