The director explains, "It's the only way we can retain and project the authentic love story. Otherwise it would be just another love story. But we don't want to get sued."
So, the director has now asked his legal advisors to look into it.
He says, "We don't want to portray Nihar as a victim and Deepika as the wrongdoer. Ideally we would want her to play herself. But that seems unlikely."
In likelihood of a legal suit from Deepika's ends, Chadha has already devised a way to counter it. He is banking on the Hollywood flick 500 Days Of Summer to bail him out.
He points out, "There are some really uncanny similarities between my film and the Hollywood movie.
I've formatted the screenplay in a similar way. We will go back and forth in time. Nihar's story will begin with him meeting the girl (Deepika) in acting class.
And then we will go into various episodes but not necessarily in the sequence that they actually happened. The likeness to the Hollywood film has given us a roomy reference point."
Same-same?Chadha adds, "For those who think Nihar and I are using his real-life story for publicity my question is - didn't Mahesh Bhatt make magnificent movies out of his own and others' personal lives? Did he take Parveen Babi's permission before making Arth?"
Reaction from Deepika's camp
Anirban Blah, the head of the celebrity management company that handles Deepika's work says, "Normally Deepika is a very non-interfering person. She doesn't react unless pushed really hard. So I'd think the film would not get her to react unless it was deeply offensive."
In 500 Days Of Summer, protagonist Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) looks back on his year-long romance with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) before she unceremoniously dumped him.
Real romances we want to see on screen
Salman-Ash-Vivek: Few love stories come with as much action and drama as this one. Ash's ex-boyfriend and her then beau had the fight of a lifetime apparently because Salman wanted Vivek out of her life. Eventually Ash chose none and opted for Bachchan Junior. Now if that doesn't make for a great climax sequence, we don't know what will.
Ranbir-Deepika-Katrina: Katrina was apparently one of the reasons the lovebirds Ranbir and Deepika called it quits. Deepika declared him a cheating boyfriend on national television. Even if love fails, stories about infidelity always sell.
Katrina-Salman: This one is a more dramatic and less corny version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai where friends turned lovers and are now back to being friends. The Katrina-Salman story may not stand as a testimony to love lasting forever, but it at least reinstates your faith in friendship.
Shahid- Kareena: A four-year-long relationship, a seemingly amicable break-up and an MMS for effect and eyeballs - the Shahid-Kareena love affair promises enough fodder for an exciting love story with a tragic end where the girl finds her prince, but the guy ends up a kamina in more ways than one.
John-Bipasha: Both models-turned-actors, head over heels in love &but problems arose where the guy was apparently commitment phobic and the girl too hesitant to walk out. Add the John-dumps-Bipasha-for-a-girl-in-his-gym angle, and you have a blockbuster.
