Mulk: Rishi Kapoor-Starrer to Release As Per Schedule on August 3, Rules Mumbai Court

A Sessions court -- which had issued an interim stay on the release of Mulk after an application was filed against production and entertainment agency, Benaras Media Works Limited -- has granted permission to screen the Rishi Kapoor-Taapsee Pannu starrer as per its scheduled release (August 3).

The court was hearing an application filed by one Vandana Punwani, who was embroiled in a property rent dues dispute with Benaras Media Works Limited. Punwani had claimed that the company had links with the movie and hence, the release of the film should stay until the dispute was resolved.

On Tuesday, during its hearing, the court had clarified that “the order of injunction granted by the court on 30.07. 2018, restraining the release of the film, titled Mulk, have been granted only against the respondent Benaras Media Works Limited, and therefore, the makers of Mulk are free to release the film.”

As per the application filed, Benaras Media Works Limited, in 2011, had taken on rent Punwani’s bungalow in the city and had wanted to convert it into an office space. However, when the company couldn’t get the requisite permission from the civic body to do so, it refused to pay her the rent.

Hence, in 2016, Punwani approached the Dindoshi Sessions court seeking to recover rent which she claims is around Rs 50 lakh. Punwani, earlier this month, filed an application, asking the court to stay the release of movie Mulk till the dispute was resolved.

Earlier, Mulk director Abhinav Sinha’s lawyer Vibhav Krishna on the case said, "Punwani in her application has made false claims that the Benaras Media Works has links with Mulk director Abhinav Sinha. These are not true. We are yet to receive the court's order staying the release. But tomorrow we will either seek clarification from the same court or approach the Bombay High Court.”

Sinha, while reacting to the reports of stay order issued on the film, in a tweet, said no such order has been served upon him.

"If someone has mischievously misled the court and if the court has really passed such an order we shall move a petition to vacate the same. Logistically all arrangements are in place to release the film on 3 August," Sinha tweeted.

(With PTI inputs)