Veteran director Priyadarshan's next Bollywood venture faces controversy as the author of the original Malayamam film, on which the new project is based, has said the story was being changed without his permission.

Madhu Muttom, who wrote the story for "Manichithrathazhu", told reporters here Thursday that Priyadarshan had not taken his consent while basing his new project on the award-winning Malayalam film.

"This story of 'Manichithrathazhu' is mine. Isn't it only proper that if this story is going to be used, they should at least speak to me? It is not proper to mutilate my story. I am raising this issue not from a monetary aspect but from the point of a writer who is the creator," Muttom told.

"Manichithrathazhu" was a super-hit in 1992-93 and shot the lead pair of Mohanlal and Shobana to dizzying heights.

"This film has already been remade into Tamil and Kannada and I was not aware of this until the film was released. I have filed a case against this too," said Muttom, adding the Hindi film was titled "Chandralekha" according to news reports.

Reacting to the charge, Priyadarshan said the controversy was needless.

"The new film I am to direct is produced by T-Series, which has purchased the rights from Telegu producer K. Rama Rao, who had purchased the rights of the original Malayalam film from Navodaya Appachen," Priyadarshan told over telephone from Mumbai.

"The production house has got an order from the Kerala High Court that the credit for the story should go to Muttom and that will be done. So, there is no controversy at all," said the ace director.

He said the Hindi version would star Akshay Kumar, Shiny Ahuja, Vidya Balan and Amisha Patel.

"Shooting would begin in Jaipur this week and we are all ready for it," said Priyadarshan.