Om Shanti Om continues to be in the deep end. Now, script writer Ajay Monga is seeking legal action, alleging that Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have plagiarised his script



Om Shanti Om is creating some ashanti for Shah Rukh Khan - actor and producer of the film as well as for Farah Khan - director and co-writer of the film. After veteran actor Manoj Kumar approached a civil court seeking stay on the television release of the film, now script writer Ajay Monga has now moved the Bombay High Court alleging that SRK and Farah have lifted his script to make the film, which was declared a blockbuster last year.

Incidentally, Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of the late Bimal Roy, who directed Madhumati is also planning to take legal action against Red Chillies and the producer-director of OSO as she feels that the film's second half is similar to Madhumati.

Monga is now seeking compensation from Red Chillies, Shah Rukh and Farah for alleged breach of trust. "I had initially demanded Rs. 1.25 crore as compensation, but now I am seeking a share from the profits of the film. The accounts of collection of Om Shanti Om should be audited and they should pay me a share from it," said Monga to Mumbai Mirror. But, he did not disclose the amount he wants.

Monga, who has written the script for the critically acclaimed film Corporate and forthcoming film Fashion, both directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, has now demanded injunction on release of OSO in theatres and on television in the future.

Justice V M Kanada, while hearing his petition on Wednesday refused to grant ad-interim relief to Monga. After the court rejected Monga's plea seeking stay on television telecast of OSO on Sunday, August 10, Monga's advocate J Shekhar said, "We will challenge the order in division bench."

The court has now directed all the respondents including Shah Rukh, Farah and Red Chillies to file their say by the next hearing on September 29. The other respondents are Gauri Khan (director Red Chillies) and the film's co-writer Mushtaq Sheikh.

Monga has in his petition alleged that the film is based on his script which he wrote for a film titled Silent Movie. "The film had a storyline where a junior artiste Raju falls in love with a big actress who is already engaged to a superstar. Raju on one occasion saves the actress's life and in return, the actress spends one day with Raju. Eventually, a rift develops between the actress and her fiancé and after which she starts liking the junior artiste," says the petition.

The petition also says that Monga along with one more writer Hemant Hegde had registered the script with the Cine Writers Association in September 2005. "I then took the script to Red Chillies in 2006. Shah Rukh was shooting in Malaysia at that time, so the script was emailed to him, but they never got back to me. It was only when I saw the film that I realised that it's entirely based on my script," says the petition.

According to the suit, post-release of the film in November, 2007, Monga even approached the officials of Red Chillies to seek compensation. "They were negotiating with me, but once the film was declared a super hit, they stopped communicating with me," says the petition.

Monga then approached the CWA in December 2007 and urged them to resolve the dispute. "My application was rejected in January 2008 and an appeal was also rejected by a special executive committee in February. I had no other option but to approach the court," says Monga's petition.

"Nobody wants to take panga with Shah Rukh. But I am here to get justice. If need be, I will even go to the Supreme Court to get justice," said Monga.

"The second half of OSO is similar to Madhumati, Rinki is also now planning to take action against them and we are in touch," said Monga to Mumbai Mirror.

When contacted, Rinki refused to comment over the issue. "Om Shanti Om is not similar to Madhumati it is ‘exactly’ Madhumati. I am still deciding what to do about it. I am in talks with my lawyers," she said.

Monga has also urged the court for destruction of all OSO's goods, articles, discs, DVDs, CDs, all prints or any other copy stored on computer.