Bollywood firm reaches compromise with Rajinikanth

Chennai, April 2: The legal battle between the super star Rajinikanth and a Mumbai-based film production company over the movie 'Main Hoon Rajinikanth' ended on Wednesday, April 1 with both sides reaching a compromise in the Madras High Court and it will soon be released with a new title.

Rajinikanth had filed a suit against Varsha Productions seeking a direction to stall the film's release, submitting the producers have used his name in the titile besides his sytle, caricature and pictures without authorisation.

On February 3, the high court stayed its release, observing the actor was entitled to safeguard his personality rights and that the film sought to offend his right to privacy and dignity.

The company filed an appeal against the order. When the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh, took up the matter for hearing, the counsel informed that a compromise had been struck between the two parties.

As per the compromise, the film producer gave an undertaking to the court stating that it had not put Rajinikanth's image and caricature and used his unquie style of delivering dialogues in the film. He also agreed to remove the actor's name from the film's title.

The title would be changed to "Main Hoon Part-Time Killer" or any other title not having the name of Rajinikanth, the production company said. The company also gave an undertaking that a frame in the movie containing a reference to Rajinikanth and his family will be deleted.

Recording the undertaking, the judges made it clear that the word 'Rajinikanth' could not be used in the title and added that since the title change would require rectification with the Censor Board, the producer may approach the Board or any other authority.

Necessary rectification in the title would be carried out within a period of 10 days, the judges said and disposed of the appeal.

PTI