It is well informed news that actress Sridevi has issued a legal notice to filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma with regards to the controversial Sridevi movie poster. Responding to the notice, RGV has also issued an official press release –
My response to the legal notice sent to me by Sridevi with regard to my film "Sridevi"
In the legal notice sent to me, there seems to be an apprehension that the film "Sridevi" is based on a crush I personally had for Sridevi in my college years ..I,many times over the last 5 years expressed this publicly in both the media and also to her which was taken by all concerned in a humorous and healthy spirit
Now coming to the film "Sridevi",the story is about a teenager's infatuation towards a 25 year old woman...a subject matter like this was earlier dealt with,in such films as Malena,Cinema paradiso,Summer of 42,Rajkapoor's Mera Naam joker etc to name just a few...But coming to the film "Sridevi" neither is the woman playing the title role in my film is an actress nor the boy is a director..Also there's a huge age gap between the boy and woman in the film "Sridevi " which is not the case with me and the real Sridevi
The title has been given to us by the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber which is the authorised body for such deeds..moreover films with this same title "Sridevi "have been made and released atleast 3 times in the last two decades ...The Film chamber already sent a reply saying that they are well within their rights to grant the title to us
The film was earlier titled "Saavitri" but we changed it not for reasons of the protests as some sections of the media are falsely reporting ..The reason for the change in title is due to a miscommunication on the production part they went ahead with the title without acquiring it from the previous right holder of the title...when the previous title holder refused to give the title we changed it to "Sridevi".After the producer got the title he went ahead with the printing of standees and hoardings with the new title..When Mr.Boney kapoor called me I explained to him both orally and in a msg which I have also given to the press with regard to clearing the speculations on the so called controversial content of the subject...
I am deeply hurt by this action of Sridevi whom I always admired and respected and I strongly believe that she was influenced by others with vested interests..I am going ahead with the title "Sridevi" because I am well within my legal and moral rights to use it..legal because a name cannot be copyrighted and also like I said the film has nothing to do with the real Sridevi to the extent that the protoganist is not even an actress...moral because I know in my heart that I will never do anything to degrade or demean Sridevi and the final outcome of the film will prove that...
Ram Gopal Varma
So, in a nutshell RGV is neither apologizing nor changing the title of his film as demanded and proceeding ahead as he wished to. But, there is also a section of the industry onlookers who call this entire episode to be sheer publicity stunt too!