Making biopics on people who are alive has become almost impossible in India.
Meghna Gulzar and her producers faced their share of legal hassles while trying to make Talvar based on the infamous Aarushi Talwar double murder case.
Now, the director’s latest work Chhapaak, based on the life of the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, continues to be inundated with controversies and legal issues even after its release.
The latest problem to plague Chhapaak is a legal notice from Laxmi Aggarwal’s lawyer Aparna Bhat who fought a long and hard battle to get justice for her client. After watching the film, Aparna feels that she has been sidelined in the film.
In a Facebook post, she wrote, “Have never been the one to demand attention to my work. Deeply disturbed by the turn of events post watching Chhapaak. Compelled to take legal action to protect my identity and preserve my integrity (sic).”
While Meghna is battling another legal issue, a source very close to her angrily blames the film’s producer Fox Star for the faux pas. “Even after knowing that it is a sensitive story based on true events, why did the producers hold previews days before the film’s release? Everyone knows such real-life stories are vulnerable to attack and bound to become a casualty of last-minute delaying tactics.”
In the latest development, a Delhi court had ordered the Chhapaak makers to acknowledge Aparna’s contribution to the film. “This court is of the considered view that facts are indicative that the pique of the plaintiff for interim injunction is well-founded and it is necessary that her contribution be acknowledged by providing the actual footage and the images,” says the court order.
Accordingly, Aparna’s name will now appear in the credits of the movie.
