Writer accuses Kangana Ranaut of stealing story of Manikarnika Returns, calls it 'white-collar crime'

Writer Ashish Kaul has accused Kangana Ranaut of stealing his story for the upcoming Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda. An FIR has been registered.

An FIR has been registered against actor Kangana Ranaut and others associated with the upcoming film Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda. Writer Ashish Kaul has claimed that he has the sole copyright of the biography on Didda: The Warrior Queen, and says that Kangana stole his story.

Kangana Ranaut is embroiled in yet another controversy.

Kangana had announced the film as a follow-up to her 2019 historical epic, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, with the intention of directing it. Also named in the complaint is her sister and manager, Rangoli Chandel, and producer Kamal Jain. "Today, I embark upon a new journey of my life - a journey against white-collar crime, against blatant and brazen infringement of my intellectual property and for justice," Ashish said in a statement.

The writer said, according to The Times of India, "After a tumultuous fortnight of coming to terms that people in power, people with might and money can steamroll the rights of content creators by misrepresenting and manipulating the letter and spirit of the law. This act involves taking a common citizen for granted who will not be easily entertained or helped by the police, added to it the reputation of the alleged popular public figure against whom a common citizen is seeking help from the police."

The first Manikarnika film was also controversial, after director Krish accused Kangana of having him replaced. Kangana received a co-director credit and claimed to have filmed the majority of the movie.