Phantom Studios sues JioStar India in Bombay High Court over ‘Queen’ sequel, seeks ₹250‑crore damages

Phantom Studios has sued JioStar India before the Bombay High Court for ₹250 crore alleging that the film ‘Queen Forever’ is an unauthorised sequel to the 2014 hit ‘Queen’ and amounts to a breach of their co‑production and intellectual property arrangements [Phantom Studios v. Jiostar India & Anr]

The plea is likely to be listed for urgent hearing before Justice Gauri Godse this week.

Phantom has claimed that it along with JioStar (earlier Viacom18) are joint and equal owners of all intellectual property and derivative rights in the Hindi film ‘Queen’ under a 2012 co‑production agreement and a 2022 deed of novation.

The suit, filed through Rashmikant and Partners, asserts that under these agreements both sides enjoy equal, ongoing rights to develop sequels, prequels, remakes and other spin‑offs from the film’s story, characters and universe, and that neither can exploit the franchise on its own without the other’s consent.

Phantom alleges that JioStar has gone ahead, along with co‑producer Trigger Happy Entertainment, to develop and shoot a film titled ‘Queen Forever’ without Phantom’s knowledge, consent or participation.

Phantom has sought a permanent injunction restraining JioStar India and Trigger Happy Entertainment from making, releasing or exploiting any sequel, remake or other derivative work based on ‘Queen’ without Phantom’s consent.

It has also sought an interim injunction stopping all further development, shooting, promotion and exploitation of ‘Queen Forever/Queen 2’.

It has further sought mandatory orders directing JioStar to disclose all agreements and creative materials relating to ‘Queen Forever’ and to recognise Phantom’s 50% share in revenues from any derivative work of ‘Queen’.

The new project is said to be directed by Vikas Bahl and will star Kangana Ranaut both of whom were associated with the first movie. Phantom cites this as further evidence that ‘Queen Forever’ is being positioned as a sequel in the same creative universe.

According to the plaint, using the word ‘Queen’ in the title, coupled with the same director and lead actress, trades on the goodwill and “cult classic” status of the 2014 film and creates confusion in the minds of audiences and industry insiders.

It has accused JioStar of breaching the novated co‑production agreement by completely excluding the co‑owner. Trigger Happy is liable for passing off and inducing breach of contract by co‑producing the impugned film.

As per the suit, Phantom had sent a series of caution notices and legal letters since 2025 as media reports and interviews by Bahl and Ranaut had referred to work on “Queen 2” and a sequel in development. However, JioStar continued to maintain that the project is an original, independent work.