'Dhurandhar' Script Row: Bombay High Court Calls For Settlement Between Parties, Says Defamation Suit Need Not Be Escalated

In a development in the ongoing defamation suit filed by Aditya Dhar, the director of "Dhurandhar" against filmmaker Santosh Kumar, for accusing the former of 'plagiarism' for his 'script', the Bombay High Court on Thursday (April 16) urged both the parties to try and 'settle' the dispute and not 'escalate' the same to the extent of filing defamation suit.

Notably, Kumar has claimed before the media that the script of the film Dhurandhar is basically a copy of his original work, which he titled as 'D Sahebd.' An ad-interim order was passed on April 8 restraining Kumar from making any defamatory comments against Dhar.

Single-judge Justice Arif Doctor asked Kumar to file appropriate civil proceedings before a proper forum with respect to his claims over the 'script' of the film in question, and the same will be responded to by Dhar and therefore, suggested to 'resolve' the defamation suit instead of keeping it pending for no purpose.

The counsel for Kumar clarified that his client was only claiming his right over the original script. The court told him that no one could stop him making any claims but he must refrain from making any defamatory comments against Dhar and instead file proper proceedings.

To this, senior advocate Dr Birendra Saraf representing Dhar, added, that once civil proceedings with regards to the right over the script are initiated, his client would be giving proper response to the same. He said that no purpose would be served if Kumar continued making defamatory comments in the media.

Accordingly, Kumar's counsel told the court that he would seek instructions on this point of initiating appropriate civil proceedings and return to the court on next date.

The bench, once again reiterating that such matters need not be escalated to filing of defamation suits, said it will pass appropriate orders on April 30, when the matter would be next heard.

According to the suit filed by Dhar, soon after the film's second part (Dhurandhar: The Revenge) was released, Kumar addressed a press conference and made certain allegations of plagiarism. It is contended that Kumar accused Dhar of 'copying' his script which he claimed to have registered with the Screenwriters Association in 2023.

Kumar had claimed that he had discussed his original script titled 'D Saheb' with several major production houses but even before anything could proceed further, Dhar copied his script and made the film in question.

"The Plaintiff and his team were shocked and dismayed to come across numerous videos/video clips recorded during or extracted from the recording of the said Press Meet, which have been independently uploaded, republished and circulated by various accounts, including but not limited to the said Accounts, thereby resulting in widespread and repeated dissemination of the Defamatory Statements. During the course of the said Press Meet, Defendant No. 1has made several false, scandalous, grossly defamatory, derogatory and denigrating statements about the Plaintiff which harm and malign the reputation and goodwill ofthe Plaintiff, before the world at large," the suit reads.

Saraf informed the court that after Kumar's press conference, his client Dhar issued a legal notice to Kumar and urged him to refrain from making any 'unsubstantiated' allegations of plagiarism. The filmmaker further maintained that the allegations were baseless and defamatory and that it 'damaged' his repute.

Case Title: Aditya Dhar vs Santosh Kumar [Interim Application (L) 12102 of 2026]