/> A freelance journalist and a budding writer Sonal Mehta has taken Ram Gopal Varma and the producers of Rann to court, apparently for breach of copyright.

Ramu hugely preoccupied with the pre-release and promotion of Rann says, "I first want to ask Ms Sonal Mehta one thing. Why has she waited till just a little more than one week before the release of Rann to make her claim? And secondly has she seen even one frame of Rann to decide the screenplay is similar to her idea?"

To his credit Ramu doesn't deny getting a story idea from Sonal Mehta. "She was a part of my production house The Factory 4-5 years ago when I was making James.

She came to me with an idea for a film on the media which I didn't like much. Still I said she should try to get a leading man to agree to do the film if she wanted to direct it. I didn't like the names she came up with. And there ended the project."

Ramu admits Sonal Mehta's claims came to him as a complete surprise. "But only to the extent that I had completely forgotten her existence. However making such claims in the court days before release has become fashionable. This is her way of getting publicity. And I'm most happy if I can be of help."

Ramu's sarcasm apart, the producers of Rann, Madhu Mantena and Sheetal Talwar intend to counter-challenge Sonal Mehta's claim in court.

Says Ramu, "I'm not the least bothered. Because I know there's no truth to her claim. The writer of Rann is Rohit Banawliker. There can a hundred takes on the media.I've made so many films on the underworld. Are they similar? Rann has nothing to do with this lady's idea."