While Don 2 races towards its release date on December 23, problems seem to be piling up for its makers. Recently, Nariman Films, the makers of the original Don with Amitabh Bachchan, slapped a legal notice on Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment for title copyright infringement, and also for remaking the old classic twice in row. Farhan Akhtar and Shah Rukh Khan, who were maintaining silence on the matter earlier, have now issued a statement to clear their stance.
The statement reads, “Excel Entertainment has not infringed upon any copyright, let alone that of Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan, by producing Don 2. Furthermore, Excel Entertainment is the bonafide author and owner of copyright of the films Don — The Chase Begins Again’ (i.e. Don 1), which has been confirmed by Nariman Films in writing. Excel is also the owner of the copyrights of Don 2.” The statement adds, “In 2005, Nariman Films gave the rights to Excel Entertainment, in perpetuity, for making Don — The Chase Begins Again. Don 2 is a sequel of the same along with the ownership to the underlying work therein. The title of Don 2 has been approved by AMPTPP in favour of Excel Entertainment.”
The producers of Don 2 feel that legal action is just a ploy to extort money.
“Nariman Films, with their mala fide intention of extorting unjustified money from Excel Entertainment, have given the legal notice, which is baseless and devoid of merit. It seems that it has now become a practice to give notices just before the release of a film to extract money. We, at Excel Entertainment, have done nothing wrong, and shall stick to the correct legal and moral principles and defend what is right,” the statement concludes.