HC stays release of J P Dutta's 'Umrao Jaan'

Mumbai, Nov 1: The Bombay High Court today deferred the case of Rajtaru Studios to November 8, seeking stay on the release of J P Dutta's ''Umrao Jaan'' scheduled to release on November 3.

Vacation Judge V M Kanade adjourned the proceedings following the applicant seeking to stay the release on the grounds that if the film failed in the market, J P Films would be unable to pay up the sum of Rs 7.5 lakh it owed to them.

Rajtaru Studios Ltd had rendered professional services to J P Films in the year 2000 for their film Refugee and made part-payment of Rs 2.5 lakhs of a total of Rs 10 lakhs. The balance remained unpaid even after the services were rendered by the applicant for the post-production work of their film Kargil - LOC in 2003.

The applicant also lodged a complaint before the Association of Motion Pictures Studios who referred the case to the Dispute Settlement Committee in September. The Committee passed an order directing J P Films to pay the balance on or before October 26, which they failed to pay.

Rajtaru Studios Ltd has alleged that J P Films have borrowed huge sums for ''Umrao Jaan'' and is afraid that if the film fails, J P Films may become bankrupt.

UNI