Despite legal notice, Ramesh to go ahead with film on Gauri

Bengaluru, Oct 5: Slain journalist Gauri Lankesh’s mother Indira Lankesh has slapped a legal notice on filmmaker A M R Ramesh against making a movie based on Gauri’s life and against the Karnataka Film Chamber Of Commerce (KFCC) for registering the title “Gauri Lankesh”.

In the notice, she sought Rs 10 crore as compensation if he made a film on Gauri. “Grabbing the opportunity to make a film for money over the tragedy is disheartening. It’s improper to make a movie without understanding reality,” she stated.

Ramesh said that nobody can prevent him from making a movie on Gauri and he would go ahead with the project. “Gauri’s murder is reality. Information on Gauri’s murder is in public domain. My film will be based on research,” he said.

He claimed it was Gauri’s brother Indrajit who suggested he do a movie on his sister.

“Nobody knows what I am highlighting in the movie. Moreover, I haven’t registered the title. I’m still collecting data for the movie. I haven’t yet received the notice,” he said.

Another film producer Praveen Kumar has registered the title Kalburgi-Gauri Lankesh.

“We’ve received the notice, but the title has already been registered. KFCC will seek a legal opinion in this regard,” Sa Ra Govindu, president, KFCC, told DH.

Registering titles based on sensational incidents or personalities has been in vogue in the Kannada film industry. However, only a few of them become reality.

Manjunath Gondebala registered the title ‘Karnataka Real Singham’, for a film based on the life of Mallikarjun Bande, a sub-inspector who died during a gun fight between Kalaburagi police and sharpshooter Munna Darabar on January 15, 2014. The project is yet to take off.

Journalist Ravi Belagere registered the title ‘Mukhyamantri I Love You’ in October 2007 on the political drama surrounding H D Kumaraswamy when he was the chief minister. The project hasn’t taken off as former prime minister H D Deve Ggowda sought Rs 10 crore as damages from Belagere for making a movie on his son.

Govindu said producers want to film sensational incidents as they attract people.