A fresh controversy has erupted in the film industry, with filmmaker Aditya Dhar and writer Santosh Kumar at the centre of a growing legal dispute over alleged script theft related to Dhurandhar 2 aka Dhurandhar The Revenge. The matter has now taken a serious turn, with both sides preparing for legal action while publicly presenting contrasting claims.
According to a source quoted by Hindustan Times, Aditya Dhar has already responded through his legal team and is considering further steps. “Aditya Dhar has already issued a notice to Santosh Kumar through his legal team, refuting the allegations and requesting him to refrain from making false claims. Despite the aforesaid, since Santosh continues to make baseless allegations, Aditya is in the process of initiating appropriate legal proceedings against him.”
However, Santosh Kumar has strongly refuted the claim that a formal legal notice was issued. He maintained that the communication received was merely a response to his email and alleged that he was being pressured to stay silent. “It is not a notice, it is just a reply on my mail. They were harassing me, that I should not complain and that I am defaming them for my publicity. I told them I am going legal, so don’t send me messages, come to court,” Santosh Kumar reportedly told the media.
The writer further claimed that he attempted to reach out to the filmmaker and associated production houses but did not receive direct engagement. “I could not reach director Aditya Dhar. I contacted the production house, Jio Studios. They said we are just producers, you have to discuss this with B62 Studios. I am filing a case against them. The producers are harassing me for making the story public… I told them, ‘Come and legally answer me’,” he added.
In a video shared on social media, Santosh elaborated on his allegations, stating that he believes Dhurandhar 2 is based on his original script. He also claimed to have substantial proof to support his case. He was seen saying, “You must have seen the movie Dhurandhar 2. It’s a very good movie. After watching this movie, I came to know that this is my script, my story. I worked very hard in 2023. And in 2023, I came here and narrated a lot of companies. Because they were saying that if you want a big actor, bring a corporate actor. So to get a corporate actor, I went to Sony, Zee, T-Series, Dharma Productions.”
He further detailed his efforts to develop and circulate the script within the industry, while also mentioning his registration with the Screenwriter Association. He went on to continue, “I wanted Aditya Roy Kapoor for the script of this movie. So I tried a lot. I sent stories to a lot of people. And I am a member of Screenwriter Association. I registered my story there in November 2023. I have all the proofs. I have all the mail communications. I have all the photos. I have all the sketches. I have all the scripts. You can see everything. I will be disclosing this. And also I am putting a case on this movie. Because they have made a good movie. I don’t have a case for that.”
Santosh also alleged that the film altered the essence of his story, claiming it was turned into something he did not intend. “Because they have exploited my story. I made this movie for cinema entertainment. But they made this movie politically propaganda. It is hurting me. I want to share a lot of my feelings today. So this is what I wanted to say this with the media people. To reach the public. Because there are a lot of innocent writers like me. A lot of people are from the south.”, he shared.
He concluded by highlighting what he described as a broader issue affecting aspiring writers in the industry. “A lot of people come from the states and try a lot. A lot of people think that the production team will support them. But this is not happening. They are copying the story and exploiting it. What happened to me cannot happen to anyone else. That is why I will put maximum effort. That a lot of people should know what happened to us. So thank you friends.”, he concluded.
धुरंधर की कामयाबी के बीच यह नई कहानी लाए है, गजब ही है।
“धुरंधर 2 देखने के बाद पता चला कि यह मेरी स्क्रिप्ट है। मेरी कहानी है। जिसे चोरी किया गया। कहानी मैंने मनोरंजन के लिए बनाई थी, लेकिन इन लोगों ने फिल्म राजनीतिक प्रोपेगेंडा बना दिया।” pic.twitter.com/OKvAxQUtM4
— Arvind Sharma (@sarviind) March 31, 2026
As the dispute intensifies, the controversy has put a spotlight on intellectual property concerns within the film industry. With both sides standing firm, the matter now appears headed for a legal showdown, which could determine the validity of the claims and set a precedent for similar disputes in the future.
Also Read: Tanuja picks ‘director’ Aditya Dhar over Ranveer Singh as the hero of ‘Dhurandhar’; calls it a ‘landmark’ film in fun review with Tanishaa Mukerji
