Veteran director Basu Chatterjee reacts to his yesteryear's classic 'Shaukeen' being remade

Looks like the clouds have already started looming large over the upcoming remake of yesteryear's classic Shaukeen. Reacting to buzz that director Rumy Jaffrey will be helming the project as reported in 'Change of hands' (HitList, April 4, 2013), the film's original director Basu Chatterjee now claims that it is he who holds the rights to the film.

Rumy had apparently taken over the baton from Rohit Roy, who was originally set to direct the remake.

Incidentally the veteran director says he had initially given the rights to producers Afsar Zaidi and Bunty Bahl, who had signed Roy to direct the film.


Says Basu, `The rights are with Afsar and Bunty for a period of 10 years and they bought it from me four years ago. As far as the production house Eagle Films is concerned, they only have the exploitation rights to release the film. The rights of the story stays with me and no one else! It is up to the producer-duo to hire the director for the project.`

Reacting to buzz that Rumy has already been roped in to helm the affairs, the veteran director shoots back, `Who is Rumy Jaffrey? I have never heard the name before.`


Roy however reiterates that he does not want to get caught in a legal web with his very first direction. He states, `We will definitely make the film but I do not wish to start the project over disputes and legal tangles. I am part of the industry and do not want to offend anyone.`