Filmmaker Santosh Kumar RS told the Bombay High Court that he will refrain from making any further defamatory statements against director Aditya Dhar in connection with their ongoing legal dispute over the film Dhurandhar: The Revenge or Dhurandhar 2.
According to Live Law, Kumar’s counsel informed single-judge Justice Arif Doctor that his client would now pursue appropriate legal remedies instead of speaking publicly about the matter. The counsel also urged the court to note that earlier remarks were not directly targeted at Dhar.
Responding to the submission, Justice Doctor observed, “Mr Counsel that would be a tall order to pass. I will record that going forward you will not make any defamatory statements.”
Senior advocate Birendra Saraf, representing Dhar, requested the court to direct Kumar to issue an apology for his earlier remarks. Arguing before the bench, Saraf said, “He should apologise at least... Calling someone a chor publicly is not okay... He should apologise.” However, Kumar’s counsel opposed the demand, stating that his client believes he can substantiate his claims and, therefore, would not be offering an apology at this stage.
The court subsequently recorded Kumar’s undertaking and disposed of the interim application, making it clear that no further defamatory statements should be made.
The dispute dates back to allegations made by Kumar, who claimed that Dhurandhar was based on a script he had earlier registered under the title D Saheb. Following these accusations, Dhar approached the court, arguing that the claims were baseless and were harming his professional reputation.
Earlier this month, the court had already passed an interim order restraining Kumar from repeating such allegations until further hearings. Dhar had also issued a legal notice prior to initiating legal proceedings, seeking a withdrawal of the statements, but received no response.
Despite the controversy, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the sequel to the 2025 film, performed well at the box office and continues to generate buzz.
