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Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, JULY 18: Script writers Janak-Hriday have filed an appeal before a division bench of the Bombay High Court praying for a stay on the release of the film Hindustan Ki Kasam, which is slated to open on Friday, July 23.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala, Sushmita Sen and Ajay Devgan, the film has been billed as a dream by Veeru Devgan,8217; the film8217;s director.Janak-Hriday have alleged that credit for story, screenplay and dialogues in the film8217;s titles has been taken by Devgan himself, while Tanveer Khan is billed as dialogue writer. Until due credit isn8217;t given to them, the film shouldn8217;t be released, argue the script-writers. The petition is an appeal against an earlier High Court order, passed by Justice S S Nijjar on July 9, which had struck down the writers8217; plea filed on July 1 to stay the film8217;s release. The case will come up for hearing on Monday.
According to the writers, Devgan agreed to pay them a sum of Rs five lakh for the script, of which Rs 1.50 lakh has already beenpaid. The petition also demands that Devgan be directed to pay the balance of Rs 3.5 lakh.
According to the petition, almost 60 per cent of the film was shot with dialogues written by the duo, who would regularly sit in on film shoots till November 1997. The duo were also given credit as the sole writers of the film when it was being publicised in film trade magazines.
However, according to the duo, midway during shooting, Devgan gave credit to Tanveer Khan without their permission. The scripting team then took up the issue with the Film Writers8217; Association which, on July 15, 1998 directed Devgan to credit the duo with a written by8217; in the film8217;s credits and other publicity material.
The association also directed Devgan to pay them any pending payments. Devgan has complied with neither of the directions, says the petition. And at a press conference to mark the film8217;s music cassette release in June this year, the credit for writing the screenplay was given to Devgan, while Tanveer Khan was shown asthe dialogue writer. The credits mentioned that the film was written by8217; Hriday-Janak and not Janak-Hriday which, point out the petitioners, makes it difficult for them to claim copyright. Devgan, in his affidavit, described the allegations as false and baseless8217;. The film8217;s subject was mooted by him, he claimed, as he had experienced the aftermath of the post-Partition riots as a child.
According to him, Janak and Hriday had approached him with a sketchy story idea of two brothers which he had liked, and he had taken them on to help him develop the idea. Devgan stated the duo had asked him to give them the credit written by8217; as it would benefit their careers. Tanveer Khan had to step in as the film8217;s dialogues were not written properly, states the affidavit. Khan, in his affidavit, claimed the duo had narrated the film8217;s story idea to him and requested him to write the dialogues. Khan also claimed he had written all of the film8217;s dialogues.
