Delhi HC issues notice to makers on plea by actor’s father

Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a summons to the makers of a biopic on Sushant Singh Rajput on a plea by the dead actor’s father seeking a ban on the film.
Besides seeking a ban on the movie — “Nyay: The Justice”, "Suicide or Murder: A star was lost" and “Shashank”, his father Krishna Kishore Singh has also sought an injunction against any other film, publication, caricature, etc based on the actor’s life.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued the notice on a suit by Singh contending that any publication, production, or depiction of the private life of the late actor is a blatant and willful breach of the fundamental right to privacy and it cannot be undertaken without the prior approval of his legal heir.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Rajput’s father, told the court that the movie in question has been launched in a planned and orchestrated manner by close confidants of the alleged accused in case of abetment of suicide to influence a pending investigation, witness and other officials.
The plea added that releasing any movie depicting Rajput’s personal life will influence the witness in the cases and also change the public perception. Rajput’s father has said that many people took the death of his son as an "opportunity to get fame by developing different theories/stories", at the cost of his and his family’s reputation.
After learning about movies based on the late actor, like “Nyay: The Justice”, "Suicide or Murder: A star was lost" and “Shashank”, the actor’s father said that he apprehends that various plays, movies, web series, books, interviews or other material may be published which would harm the reputation of Sushant Singh Rajput and his family.
"Thus, the publication of movie depicting his personal life, name/images/caricature and misappropriating his personality in a distorted manner, without the consent of the plaintiff, would influence the witness of the case and also would change public perception and the case is at a very nascent stage even the investigation has not been completed," the plea stated.
Advocate Akshay Dev, another counsel for Rajput’s father said, that they are seeking an injunction against any filmmaker or against the publication of any book from putting out anything since that is likely to influence the ongoing investigation.
The matter would be now heard on May 24.
Singh was found dead in his apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra in June last year following which the Mumbai Police conducted a probe and said that he died by suicide. The case was later handed over to the Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) were also roped in to investigate the money laundering and drugs angle in the case.

Report by Chetali S M
Reported on – 20/04/2021