Kangana accused of copyright infringement

Ashish Kaul, the author of 'Didda: The Warrior Queen of Kashmir', has accused 'Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda' actor Kangana Ranaut of copyright infringement.

'Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda' is based on the historical Kashmiri queen Didda, the first female monarch of the Kashmir Valley.

While speaking to a newspaper, Ashish Kaul said, "I have the exclusive copyrights to the life story of Didda who was the Princess of Lohar (Poonch), now in Jammu & Kashmir, and the Queen of Kashmir. Is it believable by any stretch of imagination that a story and a book is being usurped by a renowned actor-turned-social activist?"

Kaul added that Kangana Ranaut may counter his allegations by saying Didda is a historical figure and nobody owns her story. But the author claimed that no other historian except he and Kalhana (a 12th century Kashmiri author) has any information about her.

He went on to say that he is "deeply aghast" that somebody like Kangana who is "aware, knowledgeable, and apparently a nationalist" has done such a thing.

"She has blatantly violated my sole rights. It is illegal and an absolute violation of the IPR and copyright laws of the same country that she swears by. I find it so brazen and hideous and I am still inclined to believe that Kangana has been misguided," Ashish Kaul concluded.