Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to cancel the censor certificate granted to the film Dhurandhar, dismissing a petition filed by filmmaker Santosh Kumar who alleged that the movie was plagiarised from his script.
The case is part of an ongoing legal dispute between Kumar and director Aditya Dhar, whom he has accused of copying the plot of his script titled D-Saheb.
High Court finds no merit in plea
A single-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court, presided over by Justice K S Hemalekha, dismissed the writ petition seeking cancellation of the film’s certification issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The court observed that there was no merit in the allegations presented in the plea. However, Kumar’s civil suit seeking damages over alleged plagiarism remains pending before the appropriate court.
Parallel proceedings in Bombay High Court
In a related development, Kumar also gave an assurance before the Bombay High Court that he would refrain from making any defamatory statements against Aditya Dhar while the matter is under judicial consideration.
The assurance was made before Justice Arif Doctor during proceedings in a defamation case filed by Dhar. Kumar’s counsel informed the court that his client would pursue legal remedies through proper channels instead of making public allegations.
However, Kumar’s legal team declined to issue an apology after Dhar’s lawyers objected to the filmmaker allegedly referring to the director as a “chor” (thief), maintaining that their client stands by his claims.
Allegations of script plagiarism
The dispute centres around Kumar’s claim that Dhurandhar and its sequel were based on his registered script D-Saheb. He has alleged that the storyline was copied without consent.
Kumar stated that his script had been registered with the Screenwriters Association of India and that he would seek legal action for alleged intellectual property violations.
On the other hand, Aditya Dhar has denied all allegations of plagiarism and previously issued a legal notice to Kumar, asking him to refrain from making such claims.
Film’s commercial success
Despite the legal controversy, Dhurandhar has performed strongly at the box office. The spy thriller, starring Ranveer Singh, reportedly earned around ₹1,300 crore worldwide, setting a new domestic benchmark for Bollywood films.
Its sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released in March, went on to surpass the original’s record, further cementing the franchise’s commercial success.
The films also feature prominent actors including R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun in key roles.
Case remains sub judice
While the High Court’s decision provides interim relief to Aditya Dhar, the broader dispute over alleged plagiarism is still ongoing. The matter remains sub judice, and further legal proceedings are expected to determine whether there was any infringement of intellectual property.
Conclusion
The Karnataka High Court’s refusal to cancel Dhurandhar’s certification marks a significant development in the ongoing plagiarism row. While it offers temporary relief to the filmmakers, the core dispute over script ownership and alleged copying is yet to be resolved, keeping the legal battle far from over.