Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming film Queen 2 has become the centre of a legal dispute after Phantom Studios filed a lawsuit against JioStar, seeking damages of Rs 250 crore over alleged unauthorised use of intellectual property rights. The case has been filed before the Bombay High Court, with Phantom Studios claiming that it holds rights related to the original 2014 film Queen, including the authority to approve any sequel or derivative project.
According to reports, Phantom Studios has alleged that Queen 2 was developed without obtaining its consent. The company reportedly said it had not approved any sequel, adaptation, or related work based on the original film’s intellectual property. The legal action was taken after what the company described as repeated communication and discussions between both parties failed to resolve the matter.
Sources familiar with the development said Phantom Studios had previously informed filmmaker Vikas Bahl and JioStar about its concerns regarding the project. The dispute reportedly escalated after the company learned that production of Queen 2 had been completed. The film brings back Kangana Ranaut in the lead role along with director Vikas Bahl, who also helmed the original movie.
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The original Queen was produced under Phantom Films, the production house founded by Vikas Bahl, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, and Madhu Mantena. The film, which followed the journey of a young woman discovering independence after a broken engagement, became a major success and won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. It also crossed the Rs 100-crore mark at the box office, strengthening Kangana Ranaut’s position as a leading actor.
Phantom Films was dissolved in 2019 following internal disagreements among its founders. The company was later revived as Phantom Studios in 2022 by Madhu Mantena and producer Sheetal Talwar. Since then, the studio has continued producing films and projects under the revived banner.
The legal dispute over Queen 2 now adds uncertainty around the sequel’s release and future plans. The matter will be decided through proceedings in the Bombay High Court, where both sides are expected to present their claims regarding intellectual property ownership and the alleged infringement.
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