Scriptwriter moves Bombay HC against Shah Rukh and Farah Khan

Mumbai, Aug 07: A scriptwriter has moved the Bombay High Court against actor Shah Rukh Khan, director Farah Khan and others alleging that the script of film `Om Shanti Om` is a copy of the one he wrote.Ajay Monga, scriptwriter of films like `Corporate` and `Fashion,` has alleged that his copyright has been infringed.

Monga claimed he had given a copy of the script to Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment in December 2005 and wanted Khan to play the lead role in his film, but did not get any response. After the film was released in November last year, Monga filed a complaint with the Cine Writers` Association (CWA) in December, he said. But his application was rejected by the Association. However, when he learnt that the film will be telecast on television on August 10, he decided to move the High Court. On Wednesday, Monga`s lawyer sought an injunction from the court to stop the telecast of the film on Sony Entertainment Television on August 10. He pointed out that the satellite release of the film amounts to a fresh act of piracy and infringement of Monga`s copyright. Justice V M Kanade, however, has not stayed the telecast of the film but asked the parties to file their reply within four weeks. Monga`s story was that of a junior film artist falling in love with a superstar, who was engaged with another actor. At a point he saves her life. Later there is a rift between her and her fiance and the junior actor wins her over in the end, the suit says. Monga has alleged that story, screenplay, plots and the sequence of events in the first half of the film were almost identical to his script. He has accused Shah Rukh Khan, Farah, Gauri Khan (Director of Red Chillies) and Mushtaq Sheikh (co-writer) of infringing his copyright and using his script dishonestly in breach of confidence and trust. All the four respondents have denied the allegations pointing out that the CWA dismissed Monga`s complaint, stating that it found no similarity between his script and `Om Shanti Om`. Bureau Report