Fanney Khan, starring Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, appears to have hit a roadblock after producer Vashu Bhagnani on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the film's release on August 3. In his petition, Vashu Bhagnani alleged that the film's distribution rights (for India) was given to his company Pooja Entertainment & Films Ltd, for which he paid Rs. 10 crores to the film's producers. However, the deal has not been honored. Mr. Bhagnani had earlier filed two separate petitions in the Delhi and Bombay High Courts and on July 19, the Delhi High Court instructed Mr. Bhagnani to not interfere with the film's release. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Mr. Bhagnani's case on August 1.
Bhagnani had earlier demanded his rights for the film and also credits as a co-producer. The statement also asserts that Vashu Bhagnani holds the distribution, exhibition, and exploitation of commercial and non-commercial theatrical rights of Fanney Khan in all India territories. The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khawhilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud have posted the case for hearing on August 1.
Vashu Bhagnani claims his company had signed a multi-project distribution deal with Prernaa Arora of KriArj Entertainment, who was earlier co-producing Fanney Khan with Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. She dropped the film from her projects list after a few months. A T-Series lawyer said that Prernaa Arora's company was prohibited from signing any contract with the third party without a written consent from T-Series. "Therefore, any agreement that KriArj may have entered into with Vashu ji's companies, are void in law and cannot supersede our client's rights," the lawyer released a statement earlier this month.
Meanwhile, upcoming film Batti Gul Meter Chalu, starring Shahid Kapoor, Yami Gautam, and Shraddha Kapoor, was also a part of the aforementioned contract signed between Vashu Bhagnani and Prernaa Arora's companies.
Fanney Khan is directed by Atul Manjrekar and it also stars Rajkummar Rao. Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is also one of the film's produce