Chennai: Following a petition filed by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa against making a movie on her aunt without her consent, the Madras High Court today issued notice to filmmakers Vijay and Gautham Vasudev Menon.
Vijay is planning a movie titled Thalaivi starring Kangana Ranaut as Jayalalithaa. Gautham Vasudev Menon has made a web series on the former CM starring Ramya Krishnan in the titular role.
Submitting that she was a legal heir of the late AIADMK chief, Deepa in a civil suit claimed that Vijay, producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Gautham did not have any legal right to produce the movie on the life and times of Jayalalithaa.
Contending that the filmmakers might portray the life of her aunt and that of her as well in their own version, Deepa said it might affect her privacy and that of her family.
The filmmakers intended to release the film for their commercial and monetary benefits without her consent, said Deepa.
To safeguard the personality rights of the late Chief Minister, protect her own privacy and that of her family, it was absolutely necessary to restrain the makers of the bio-pic from going ahead, without getting her approval for the storyline and the script, Deepa said in her plea.
The trio should not be allowed to either produce or release the film without her consent and approval, she said.