JioStar Responds to Queen 2 Lawsuit, Defends Kangana Ranaut’s Film as ‘Original and Independent’

JioStar is facing a legal challenge from Phantom Studios over its upcoming film, Queen 2, which stars Kangana Ranaut. Phantom Studios has filed a lawsuit for Rs 250 crore, claiming that the new project infringes upon the intellectual property rights of the original 2014 film, Queen. In response, JioStar has firmly denied these allegations, asserting that Queen 2 is an original work with no ties to the previous film.

Phantom Studios’ Lawsuit

The legal dispute escalated when Phantom Studios approached the Bombay High Court, alleging that JioStar had utilized the Queen intellectual property without authorization. The studio claims ownership of 50 percent of the original film’s intellectual property rights and argues that it did not grant permission for any sequel or derivative work. This lawsuit has raised significant concerns within the industry regarding the ownership of creative content.

JioStar’s Defense

In a statement to Mid-Day, JioStar rejected the claims made by Phantom Studios. The production house clarified that its collaboration with Kangana Ranaut is entirely separate from the original Queen. “StarStudio18 is presently working with Ms Kangana Ranaut on a fresh production that is an original, independent story. It has no narrative, character or creative connection to any prior work, and is neither a sequel nor a prequel to any existing title,” the company stated.

JioStar also addressed the issue of the title, asserting that the use of the word “Queen” does not constitute copyright infringement. The production house argued that “the word ‘Queen’ is a part of the English language. No party can claim exclusive ownership over a common noun, and any such claim has no basis in law.” They expressed confidence in their legal position and indicated their intention to contest the case in court.

Background on Queen and Queen 2

The original film, Queen, was released in 2014 and received critical acclaim, winning two National Film Awards, including Best Actress for Kangana Ranaut. The film was produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Phantom Films, which was founded by notable filmmakers including Anurag Kashyap and Vikas Bahl. Although Phantom Films was dissolved in 2018, it was revived as Phantom Studios in 2021.

Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Sports, Editor’s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.

Follow Us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn