Delhi court reserves order on plea to stay Chhapaak's release

New Delhi: A petition filed in Patiala House court on Thursday (January 9) sought a stay on the release of the Deepika Padukone-starrer Chhapaak, by one Aparna Bhatt, who submitted that she fought the case on behalf of the acid attack victim but denied any credit in the film. 

Her advocate told the court that Bhatt also extended help in the preparation of the film script, but failed to get any credit. Aparna Bhatt had sought the credit not the money, said the lawyer. 

On January 7, Aparna Bhatt came to know that she is not getting any credit in the film, while she was intimated through an email that her name would be mentioned, the advocate informed the court, seeking a stay on the film's release. 

The court, however, has reserved the order that would be announced in the later part of the day.  

The Bombay High Court, however, cleared the decks for the release of Chhapaak on Wednesday, after hearing the petition filed by writer Rakesh Bharti, and said that no person can claim copyright on a story inspired by true events.

Justice SC Gupte heard Bharti's petition claiming that he was the original writer of the story on the life of the acid attack survivor on which the film is based. 

Bharti sought a stay on the January 10, 2020 release of the film until such time his name was included in the credits as one of the creative writers.

Notably, Chhapaak is based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.