Mumbai: Mumbai Police have registered a case against veteran filmmaker Indra Kumar and producer Ashok Thakeria following a complaint alleging that a film distribution company was cheated of ₹1.5 crore through the disputed sale of worldwide distribution and digital rights of the 2007 comedy film Dhamaal. The complaint alleges that the film’s rights had already been assigned to another company years before the disputed transaction.
The case was registered by the Amboli Police against Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to cheating and acts carried out by multiple persons with a common intention. The complaint was filed by 53-year-old Vikas Baldevraj Sahani, owner of Andheri-based film distribution company Grand Master.
According to the complaint, the alleged transaction took place in October 2019, when Maruti International, associated with the accused, allegedly sold Grand Master the permanent worldwide distribution and digital rights of Dhamaal for ₹1.5 crore. The distributor has alleged that it was assured at the time that no third-party rights existed over the film and that the rights being transferred were available for commercial exploitation.
The dispute surfaced when Sahani allegedly discovered that Maruti International had already transferred the lifetime OTT and digital rights of the same film to Shemaroo Entertainment Limited in 2015. The distributor has alleged that this earlier transaction meant the rights sold to Grand Master in 2019 were not available in the manner represented.
Sahani subsequently submitted documentary material to the police in support of his complaint. The documents reportedly include a copyright certificate issued by the Government of India in April 2023 and records showing that the original laboratory picture and sound negatives of the film were transferred to Grand Master in January 2020.
According to the complainant, these records support his claim that Grand Master had acquired legal rights and control over the film under the 2019 agreement. The company has alleged that the disputed rights transaction subsequently affected its ability to enter into digital distribution and commercial agreements involving the film.
The complaint further alleges that several proposed digital distribution deals were cancelled after questions arose over the ownership and availability of the rights. Sahani has claimed that the company suffered losses running into several crores of rupees as a result of the alleged dispute and inability to commercially exploit the rights it had purchased.
The distributor also alleged that it issued a legal notice to the concerned parties in January 2023 seeking clarification and resolution of the dispute. According to the complaint, the response was not satisfactory, prompting the company to approach the police with documentary evidence and details of the alleged transaction.
Police have now begun an investigation into the allegations and are expected to examine the agreements executed between Maruti International, Grand Master and Shemaroo Entertainment. Investigators are also likely to verify the copyright records, transfer documents, payment details and other material submitted by the complainant.
The investigation will determine whether the rights sold to Grand Master in 2019 overlapped with rights allegedly transferred to Shemaroo in 2015 and whether the complainant was misled about the availability of the worldwide distribution and digital rights.
The case comes amid continuing commercial interest in the Dhamaal franchise, which began with the 2007 comedy film and subsequently expanded into sequels. The latest police action, however, relates specifically to the alleged 2019 rights transaction involving the original film.
Police have not yet disclosed details of any arrests or further action against the accused. The allegations made in the complaint are subject to investigation, and the guilt or liability of the accused has not been established by a court.
