Court Orders Chhapaak Makers To Acknowledge Laxmi Aggarwal’s Lawyer

 In India  making films on real-life characters , specially   those who are alive, is becoming almost impossible.

Meghna Gulzar and her producers faced their share  of legal  hassles while  trying to make a film Talvar based  on  the Arushi Talvar murder  case.

Now  her latest work Chhapaak,based  on  the  life of the acid attack survivor  Laxmi Aggarwal, is  inundated  with controversies and legal issues weeks days and  even  hours before release.

 The  latest problem to plague Chhapaak is a legal notice from  Laxmi Aggarwal’s lawyer Aparna  Bhat who fought a  long and  gard   battle to get justice  for  her client after the attack.

After seeing  the  film,Aparna  feels she has been sidelined  in the  film.

In a Facebook  entry she  wrote,  “Have never been the one to demand attention to my work. Deeply disturbed by the turn of events post watching Chhapaak. Compelled to take legal action to protect my identity and preserve my integrity.”

While Meghna Gulzar  battles another legal  issue, a source very close to her angrily blames  the film’s  producer  Fox Star for the  faux pas.  “Knowing it is  a sensitive story and knowing  it is based  on a true incident why did the producers  hold previews  days before release? Everyone knows  such real-life stories are vulnerable  to  attack and  bound to  become a casualty of last-minute delaying tactics.”

In  the latest development  a Delhi court had  ordered the Chhapaak makers  to acknowledge  Aparna  Bhat’s contribution  to the  film .

Says  the  courtorder, “This court is of the considered view that facts are indicative that the pique of the plaintiff for interim injunction is well founded and it is necessary that her contribution be acknowledged by providing the actual footage and the images.”

Ms Bhat’s name  will now appear in the credits  of Chhapaak.