The director of the Hindi movie ‘Shashank’  has denied in the Delhi High Court that the film was based on the life of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, saying the story portrays the struggle of random outsiders in the industry.

The filmmaker claimed that there was difference in the name of the movie ‘Shashank’ and Sushant Singh Rajput and the film’s story was based on four persons’ struggle and fight against nepotism in the Mumbai film industry — so there was no comparison between the two, PTI reported from New Delhi.

Director Sanoj Mishra made the submissions in an affidavit filed in response to a suit filed by Rajput’s father Krishna Kishore Singh who has sought to restrain anyone from using his son’s name or likeness in movies.

Some of the upcoming or proposed movie projects, based on Rajput’s life, mentioned in the plea, are  ‘Nyay: The Justice’, ‘Suicide or Murder: A star was lost’, ‘Shashank’, and an unnamed crowd-funded film.

According to the suit, ‘Nyay’ is scheduled to be released in June, while shooting has commenced with regard to ‘Suicide or Murder: A star was lost’ and ‘Shashank’.

The high court on April 20 had asked the producers of these proposed and upcoming films to respond to the plea and listed the matter for hearing on May 24, 2021.

The director, in his response filed through advocate A P Singh, also raised the issue of territorial jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court to entertain the suit.

He said Singh is a resident of Bihar and the police complaint in relation to the actor’s death was also filed there, while other pending cases are registered in Mumbai and even the addresses of defendants are situated in Maharashtra and the jurisdiction of Delhi High Court to entertain the suit is not made out.

“Thus, Plaintiff (Singh) has apprehension that various plays, movies, web-series, books, interviews or other material may be published which would harm the reputation of the son of the plaintiff and his family,” claimed the suit which has sought damages of over Rs 2 crore (Rs. 20 million) from the filmmakers for “loss of reputation, mental trauma and harassment” to Rajput’s family.

It has also claimed that in case a “movie, web-series, book or any other content of similar nature is allowed to be published or broadcasted, it would affect the right of the victim and deceased for a free and fair trial as it may cause prejudice to them”.