Kamal Ghorui
Filmmaker Aanand L Rai has responded to the Rs 84 crore lawsuit filed by Eros International Media Ltd, which has accused him of intellectual property violations linked to his 2013 film Raanjhanaa. Calling it a routine business dispute, Rai downplayed the controversy and said it was best left to lawyers.“These are part of life. When you step into business, such things keep happening,” Rai told NDTV. “I don’t even know why, how, or from where this has come. But I think it is a legal matter, so let the legal people handle it.”
‘It’s nothing serious,’ says the filmmaker
Maintaining that the case does not worry him, Rai added that such allegations should not be taken personally.“There is a lawyer on their side, and a lawyer from here will respond too. I don’t think it has any meaning. Anyone can say anything about anything at any time,” he said, adding, “Since it’s a legal matter, I won’t speak much about it, but it’s nothing serious.”
What Eros International has alleged
Eros International Media Ltd has accused Rai and his production banner, Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP, of unlawfully leveraging the intellectual property of Raanjhanaa while promoting Tere Ishk Mein, which released in November 2025.The company has claimed exclusive rights over Raanjhanaa, including its copyright, registered trademarks, characters, dialogues, and sequel or remake rights. According to Eros, these elements were used without permission to suggest a creative or narrative link between the two films.
Teaser, characters and ‘spiritual sequel’ claim
The lawsuit was triggered by a teaser released in July 2025, which Eros alleges featured phrases, visuals, background score elements and references pointing towards the Raanjhanaa universe.A key point of dispute is characterisation. Eros has claimed that Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub’s character in Tere Ishk Mein closely resembles his Raanjhanaa role Murari, while Dhanush’s character allegedly mirrors Kundan Shankar’s emotional arc, creating an impression of continuity.
Case now before the Bombay High Court
Despite issuing a cease-and-desist notice in July 2025, Eros has alleged that the film continued to be positioned as a “spiritual sequel”. Following its release, the company has sought Rs 84 crore in damages for alleged copyright infringement, trademark violation and passing off.The suit names multiple defendants, including Aanand L Rai, Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP, writer Himanshu Sharma, T-Series and Netflix Entertainment Services India LLP. The matter is currently being heard by the Bombay High Court.
