Maidaan is one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year. The performance of Ajay Devgn was widely appreciated. The film is the life story of Syed Abdul Rahim, a football coach during 1952 and 1962 and he is based in Hyderabad. From the past couple of days, there are strong speculations that the legal heirs of Syed Abdul Rahim are not happy as the royalty was not paid by the producers. There are also reports that the family members had a word with Telangana Chief Minister Sri Revanth Reddy and they requested to take an action against the makers of Maidaan. Keeping an end to the ongoing speculations, the film’s producer Boney Kapoor responded and issued a statement. He said that they haven’t received any notices from the police as per the speculation. Boney Kapoor also said that there is a need to inquire about the facts and he condemned the reports.
The statement said “The legal heirs of Syed Abdul Rahim had filed an Original Suit No. 1271 of 2019 along with an Interim Application No. 602 of 2019, before the Hon’ble Civil Judge, Hyderabad in June 2019 seeking a judgement and decree for perpetual injunction on release, exploitation and production of the film Maidaan. Bayview Projects LLP opposed the grant of injunction inter alia on the grounds that the information about late Mr Raheem, as the coach of the Indian football team, is available in the public domain and no permission was required under law to make a film on late Mr Raheem/Indian football. The Hon’ble Court, after hearing the parties in detail, had by its order dated 30th of September 2019, refused to grant any injunction/restraining relief on the production, release and/or exploitation of the film Maidaan and the concerned Interim Application filed by the legal heirs was dismissed. Though the producers were not obliged under law to obtain any permission/consent from the heirs of Mr Raheem, in good faith, resolved the matter amicably with the heirs on terms and conditions recorded in the consent terms dated January 29, 2020, filed in the Hon’ble City Civil Court, Hyderabad. Additionally, the producers have also obtained life rights to Sqn. Ldr. Syed Shahid Hakim (son of Syed Abdul Rahim; now deceased) has paid consideration for the same during his lifetime, as per Mr. Hakim’s instructions to his wife Sadia Syeda and to his family members namely Mohammed Abdul Samad and Mohammed Shariq Daniyal Akhtar”.
Maidaan bagged the Best Asian Film at the prestigious Septimius Awards. Amit Sharma directed this sports drama and is produced by Boney Kapoor’s Bayview Projects LLP.
