New Delhi: Ashish Kaul, the author of Didda: The Warrior Queen of Kashmir, has accused Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda actor Kangana Ranaut of copyright infringement terming it “blatant violation of his sole rights”.
Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda is based on the historical Kashmiri queen Didda, the first female monarch of the Kashmir Valley.
A legal notice has been issued to all concerned parties to cease and desist from using any aspect of the nationalist Didda as mentioned in my book Didda The Warrior Queen of Kashmir. #JaiShreeRam #HarHarMahadev #NamastasyeShardaDeviKashmirpurVasini pic.twitter.com/aOWtCns2Fd
— Ashish Kaul (@aashishkaul) January 16, 2021
According to reports, the author of Didda – Kashmir Ki Yodha Rani, has claimed that he has the exclusive copyrights to the story of Didda and had approached the actor to write a foreword for the Hindi version of the book in September last year but never got a reply from her or her then manager, Rangoli Chandel.
He however, still believes that the actor may have been “misguided” to make a film on the story he had shared with her, along with his request.
In an interview with Times of India, the author said: “Is it believable by any stretch of the imagination that a story and a book is being usurped by a renowned actor-turned-social activist? She may even turn around and claim that Didda is a historical figure, which is true except the fact that no historian in the world, apart from Kalhan who wrote just two pages on her, and me, who has spent six years on research and documentation, who have information on her. I am deeply aghast that a person as aware, knowledgeable, and apparently a nationalist and a voice for causes, has chosen to belittle her image so.”
He further added, “She has blatantly violated my sole rights; it is illegal and an absolute violation of the IPR and copyright laws of the same country that she swears by. I find it so brazen and hideous and I am still inclined to believe that Kangana has been misguided.”
On Thursday, the actor announced that Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda will be the sequel to Kangana’s 2019 film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Ahead of the film’s second anniversary later this month.
Earlier, in September 2020, Ranaut had vowed to make a film on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, however, was criticised by Kashmiris for taking advantage of the name (Kashmiri Pandits) for her personal gains.
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