Has Ram Gopal Varma decided to release the remake of the cult classic Sholay by changing the much publicised title 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay'?

A high drama was witnessed on the issue on Tuesday in the Delhi High Court as Sascha Sippy, who claims to be the owner of the film "Sholay" cited a news report that Varma has decided to release the movie on July 13 by not only changing the title but also changing the names of popular characters like "Gabbar Singh" and "Basanti".

The title has been changed from 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay' to 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' and the popular characters 'Gabbar Singh' and 'Basanti' has been renamed as 'Babban Singh' and 'Ghungroo', Sippy's counsel Pravin Anand contended, referring to a report on a website.

He said Varma's interview in this regard was aired on Monday on a national channel.

Justice Gita Mittal before whom a petition of infringement of trademark and copyright on "Sholay" was pending against Varma, said if the change of title and name of character was acceptable to Sippy it would end the issue of release of the film in question.

However, senior advocate Rajiv Nayar and Amit Naik, counsel for Varma, expressed ignorance of the interview and said they did not have any idea of any such interview on any channel. In view of the conflicting statements by the contesting parties, the court directed them to take instructions from their clients and inform it about the facts.

Amit Naik, after brief adjournment, informed the court that his client (Varma) had not given any such interview. He said the film cannot be released as it would require a lot of promotional activities.

Following which Sippy's counsel decided not to raise the issue and proceeded ahead with the routine arguments to establish that Varma's film could not be released by using the title "Sholay".

The court in an interim order in October last had stayed the release of Varma's much-hyped remake of the 1970s' blockbuster "Sholay".

The court was hearing a suit filed by Sippy Films Pvt Ltd and Sholay Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, owned by Sascha Sippy and Shan Uttam Singh, to permanently restrain Varma from releasing the film 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay' maintaining the use of the name Sholay by any other entity amounts to infringement of trade mark and copyright.

The roadblocks for the release of the film in which superstar Amitabh Bachchan has assumed the role of "Gabbar Singh" came on a lawsuit filed by the grandson of G P Sippy, who had produced "Sholay". Sippy had contended that they also have copyright on the use of character "Gabbar Singh" which was played by late Amjad Khan in "Sholay".

Sascha Sippy, director of the Sippy Films, claimed that the late G P Sippy's son Ajit Sippy who reportedly sold the copyrights to Varma, had no such rights himself to transfer the same to others.