Bombay High Court rejects Ramesh Sippy’s plea in Sholay’s 3D row

Bollywood producer Ramesh Sippy has been disappointed by the recent decision by Bombay High Court to reject his plea, which demanded a stay order on the production and release of Hindi blockbusterSholay's3-D version, being made by his nephew Sasha. Ramesh Sippy, the director ofSholay, has been in dispute with Sasha over the rights of the film which was released in 1975 and is marked as a milestone in the history of Indian cinema.

Sasha, son of Sippy’s brother Vijay, recently announced his plans to make a 3D version of the film, which will be distributed by Jayantilal Gada. Justice S. J. Kathawala, who was hearing Sippy’s petition, refused to grant any relief saying his court was not inclined to give a stay on the production and release of the 3-D version at this stage. According to Sasha’s lawyers, Ramesh holds no rights to oppose the production and release of the 3D version of the film as he did not have any rights over the movie.

Sholay Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which is looked after by Sasha and other members of the Sippy family, filed an affidavit claiming that Sippy had never demanded copyright on the film during the earlier disputes regarding the movie, then why now he is objecting. The affidavit further said that all the persons behind the original film had either retired or died and the rights ofSholaywere vested with 'Sippy Films Pvt Ltd'. The affidavit also revealed that in 2000, when Sholay Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd came into existence, rights of the film were transferred to this company by Sippy Films Pvt Ltd as a gift. Ramesh Sippy resigned as the director of Sippy Films three months before the film was released and he had nothing to do with the company thereafter, the affidavit further said.