Film-maker Nicola Scott files a legal suit against Adlabs for not handing over negatives of Good Sharma, reports DNA.
Film-maker Nicola Scott (a former BBC producer now living in Los Angeles) got into a joint venture with Sheetal Talwar to make Good Sharma, a film that boasts of a star cast comprising Billy Connolly, Joan Allen and the veteran Indian character actor Pankaj Kapur. It has been over two years that this film has completed its shooting but hasn’t been released as it has run into a legal wrangle.
Nicola alleges that this co-production ran into trouble when her Indian partner did not put in their share of funds and she had to shell out the entire amount from her pocket. She also adds that post the movie’s completion, the negatives were not handed over to her. She has reportedly filed legal papers with the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging Adlabs (which was owned by Manmohan Shetty when Good Sharma was made) for “conversion” of her property (negatives of the film). In America, ‘conversion’ is a civil law term for theft.
Sheetal dismisses the allegations saying, “It is true that the matter went to arbitration, but I won the consent award in 2007 and all these allegations against me are baseless. We have done what we were asked to do as part of the consent award but it is she who hasn’t done her bit and is now accusing us. We have cleared even the amounts to be paid to all people under the contract.”
Their lawyer Ameet Naik adds, “Accusing Adlabs is baseless. They weren’t even a party to this. It was between Nicola and Sheetal, and Sheetal has complied with the contract and the consent award granted.” However, Nicola says, “Sheetal has not complied with the consent.”
A spokesperson from Adlabs informed DNA that it wasn’t an issue concerning Adlabs and that it was a matter which Nicola and Sheetal had to sort out. An insider adds, “Both parties are claiming to be the actual producers. Adlabs will give the negatives to the rightful party whoever proves that it is theirs.”
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