Kamal Ghorui
The legal tussle surrounding Dhurandhar: The Revenge has taken a new turn, with filmmaker Santosh Kumar RS informing the Bombay High Court that he will refrain from making any further defamatory statements against director Aditya Dhar.
‘Will pursue legal remedies instead of speaking publicly’
According to Live Law, Kumar’s counsel made the submission before single-judge Justice Arif Doctor, stating that his client would now take the legal route rather than airing his grievances in public. The counsel also maintained that Kumar’s earlier remarks were not specifically directed at Dhar.Taking note of the statement, Justice Doctor remarked, “Mr Counsel that would be a tall order to pass. I will record that going forward you will not make any defamatory statements.”
‘Calling someone a chor publicly is not okay’
Appearing for Dhar, senior advocate Birendra Saraf pushed for a public apology from Kumar over his previous remarks.“He should apologise at least… Calling someone a chor publicly is not okay… He should apologise,” Saraf argued before the court.However, Kumar’s counsel opposed the plea, stating that his client believes he can substantiate his allegations and therefore would not be issuing an apology at this stage.The court went on to formally record Kumar’s undertaking and disposed of the interim application, making it clear that no further defamatory statements should be made while the matter is sub judice.
The dispute over Dhurandhar’s script
The controversy stems from Kumar’s claim that Dhurandhar was allegedly based on a script he had earlier registered under the title D Saheb. Refuting the allegations, Dhar had approached the court, calling the claims baseless and damaging to his professional reputation.Earlier this month, the court had already passed an interim order restraining Kumar from repeating such statements until further hearings. Dhar had also issued a legal notice seeking withdrawal of the remarks, but reportedly received no response. Despite the ongoing legal friction, Dhurandhar: The Revenge—the sequel to the 2025 film—has performed strongly at the box office and continues to remain in the spotlight.
