Alleged Nira Radia-inspired film hits theatres

A day after corporate lobbyist Nira Radia urged the Delhi high court to stay the release of Monica — The Politics of Murder, the film hit theatres on Friday. “We are yet to receive a notice from the honourable court and once we do, we will comply with the orders. In the meantime, the film is being screened in cinema halls without a glitch,” said the film’s producer Kush Bhargava who is also a Lucknow-based politician.

Radia, who has been linked to the second generation mobile telephony spectrum scam, had sought the court’s intervention since she felt that the film depicted her life in a scandalous manner. On Thursday, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to Bhargava asking him to file a copy of the script or the film’s CD, following which a decision would be taken. The next hearing is scheduled for March 30.

The makers, who had earlier tried to gain mileage by describing their protagonist as someone who has “shades of women like Shivani Bhatnagar, Madhumita Sharma and Radia”, are now denying that the film has anything to do with Radia’s life.
“Our film was completed much before Radia and the 2G spectrum scam came into the public eye. Besides, our protagonist gets murdered in the film. So from our side, it is a categorical denial that ‘Monica’ has anything to do with Radia,” Bhargava added, claiming he had no inkling that Radia was going to move court in the matter. “I only found out about it from press reports,” he said.
Meanwhile, the makers of 2G Radia-tion, another film touted as being inspired by Radia’s life, are unruffled by the developments. “Reel is inspired by real and there are numerous films based on actual incidents. Also, our film will be a fictional account and not the true version of the 2G spectrum scam or Radia’s involvement in it,” said 2G Radia-tion’s Indian line producer Manoj Nandwana.
The film will be produced by a UK-based production company and the shooting is scheduled to begin next month.