Phantom Films Slaps ₹250 Crore Suit Against JioStar Over ‘Queen 2’
Phantom Films has dragged JioStar to Bombay High Court, seeking ₹250 crore in damages and a stay on ‘Queen 2’, which it calls an unauthorised sequel.
Phantom Films Drags JioStar to Court Over ‘Queen 2’
Phantom Films: Just days after word spread that shooting had wrapped on Kangana Ranaut’s rumoured sequel to Queen, Phantom Films moved the Bombay High Court with a ₹250 crore lawsuit against JioStar India Private Limited. The production house says the film, tentatively called Queen 2, is being made without its consent.
JioStar isn’t backing down either. On Tuesday, the company issued a statement calling the new film “an independent and original creative work” with no connection to the 2014 original.
What Exactly Is the Dispute?
At the centre of this fight is an old agreement. Phantom claims that when Queen was made, it struck a deal with JioStar guaranteeing both parties equal — 50-50 — rights over any future sequel or prequel. Phantom’s petition, filed through law firm Rashmikant & Partners, argues it never signed off on this new project and wants the court to step in before the film goes any further.
The studio has asked for two things: an interim order halting the film’s release, and ₹250 crore in damages. A single-judge bench of the Bombay High Court will hear the matter.
Shooting Already Wrapped, Film in Post-Production
According to reports, filming on Queen 2 began earlier this year and has already concluded. The project is currently in post-production. Phantom says it tried reaching out to JioStar multiple times to settle the matter before heading to court, but got no response.
JioStar’s Defence: “Queen Is Just an English Word”
JioStar’s counter-argument leans on trademark logic rather than the contents of the film itself. In its statement, the company said: “Queen is a common word of the English language. No party can claim exclusive rights over a generic noun, and any such claim is legally untenable.”
The petition, however, tells a slightly different story about ownership. It states that all intellectual property rights tied to the original Queen are split 50-50 between Phantom and JioStar — meaning both sides agree they share the IP, even as they argue over what a “sequel” actually means.
Why This Case Matters
Queen wasn’t just a hit — it won National Awards for Best Feature Film and Best Actress, and it remains one of Kangana Ranaut’s most acclaimed performances. A legal fight over its sequel isn’t a small industry footnote; it touches on how Bollywood studios handle IP rights when a franchise changes hands or partners fall out.
Phantom Films, originally founded as Phantom Films in 2011 by Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vikas Bahl, and Madhu Mantena, has a track record of backing films that shaped a generation of Hindi cinema — Queen, Udta Punjab, and NH10 among them. Vikas Bahl, who directed the original Queen, is also attached to the sequel.
What Happens Next
The Bombay High Court is yet to rule on Phantom’s request for a stay. Until then, the film’s release timeline stays uncertain, and so does its official status — sequel or standalone, depending on who you ask.
Both companies have strong incentives to settle this quickly. For JioStar, a prolonged legal battle could delay release plans and box office momentum. For Phantom, the case is as much about protecting future IP claims as it is about this one film.
Conclusion
This isn’t just a squabble over one movie — it’s a test of how far a “generic word” defence can stretch when there’s a 50-50 IP agreement sitting in the background. Whichever way the Bombay High Court leans, the ruling could shape how sequel rights get negotiated across the industry going forward.
FAQs
Q. What is the Queen 2 controversy about?
Phantom Films has filed a ₹250 crore lawsuit against JioStar, alleging that Queen 2 is being made without its consent, despite an earlier agreement giving both parties equal rights over any sequel.
Q. Has Queen 2 finished shooting?
Yes. Reports indicate filming began earlier this year and has already wrapped, with the film now in post-production.
Q. What is JioStar’s defence?
JioStar argues that “Queen” is a common English word and that no party can claim exclusive rights over it, calling the new film an independent, original project.
Q. How much compensation is Phantom Films seeking?
Phantom has asked for ₹250 crore in damages along with an interim order to stop the film’s release.
Q. Who founded Phantom Films?
Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vikas Bahl, and Madhu Mantena founded Phantom Films in 2011.
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