Delhi Court Directs 'Chhappak' Makers To Give Credits To Contributions Of Adv Aparna Bhat [Read Order]

A Delhi Court on Thursday directed the makers of film 'Chhappak' to show the name of Advocate Aparna Bhat in credits to acknowledge her contributions.

Advocate Aparna Bhat was the lawyer of Lakshmi Agrawal, the acid attack survivor on whose life the movie is based on. The film is scheduled for release tomorrow.

In the suit filed by Adv Bhat against Meghna Gulzar, the director of the movie, Additional Senior Civil Judge Pankaj Sharma passed an interim order saying "the facts suggest that the plea of the plaintiff for an interim injunction is well founded and it is necessary that her contribution shall be acknowledged". 

The court directed that Aparna Bhat's contribution shall be acknowledged by stating in the credits that   'Aparna Bhat continues to fight against cases of sexual and physical violence against violence' during the screening of the film.' 

The Court said that if such a relief was not granted, "grave prejudice and injustice" would be caused to her as the general public would not come to know about her contributions for the film.

 Advocate Aparna Bhat had fought the legal battle for Lakshmi Sharma in the criminal case with respect to the acid attack. She had filed a PIL on behalf of Lakshmi in the Supreme Court, in which the Court passed a slew of directions to curb acid attacks. 

As per the plaint, Meghna Gulzar had consulted Adv Aparna Bhat for the preparation of the script. Bhat states that she had given access to various documents related to the case of Lakshmi Agrawal, which helped in the making of the film. It is also stated that multiple drafts of the script was vetted by Bhat on request of Meghna Gulzar.

It is further stated in the plaint that there was an understanding that the movie would acknowledge Adv Aparna Bhat as the lawyer of Lakshmi. The final draft of the script had included a note in the end credits that 

""Aparna Bhat continues to fight cases of sexual and physical violence against women."

When she had watched a premiere show of the movie on January 7, she noticed that there was no acknowledgment given to her.  Gulzar, when asked about it by Bhat, replied that a decision had been taken to not to acknowledge anyone involved.

In this backdrop, the suit was filed, stating :

"That the Plaintiff had given all possible assistance to the making of the film and to ensuring that the film remains true to the real story. Such assistance was given based on guarantees that the Plaintiff's contribution would be acknowledged".

The suit filed in Patial House Courts in Delhi seeks a mandatory injunction for inclusion of Adv Bhat's name in the acknowledgments as stated to have been promised by the makers.

Click here to download the Order

Click here to download plaint