Actor Kangana Ranaut might be gearing up to turn her Manikarnika movie into a franchise with Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda but it doesn’t seem like an easy way out there. On the same day as Kangana announced her film, Ashish Kaul, who authored the book Didda – Kashmir Ki Yodha Rani, claimed that she has encroached upon his story and his research of six years for her film. The author claimed that he had approached Kangana to write the foreword for the Hindi version of his book in September last year but neither the actor nor her sister Rangoli Chandel showed any interest in her proposal. However, months after, they now went on to announce their film on the same subject.

Kaul said that Kangana may have been ‘misguided’ to make a film on the story which was thoroughly researched by him for six long years. He revealed that there are only two authors so far who have written something on Didda – one was Kalhan who wrote just two pages on her, and he is the second writer.

“Is it believable by any stretch of the imagination that a story and a book is being usurped by a renowned actor-turned-social activist? She may even turn around and claim that Didda is a historical figure, which is true except the fact that no historian in the world, apart from Kalhan who wrote just two pages on her, and me, who has spent six years on research and documentation, who have information on her. I am deeply aghast that a person as aware, knowledgeable, and apparently a nationalist and a voice for causes, has chosen to belittle her image so,” he explained.

Kaul went on to allege that Kangana has blatantly violated his sole rights to the story. He said that the entire act looks so ‘hideous’ that he still believes the actor has been ‘misguided’ and it’s not something she thought of doing herself. “She has blatantly violated my sole rights; it is illegal and an absolute violation of the IPR and copyright laws of the same country that she swears by. I find it so brazen and hideous and I am still inclined to believe that Kangana has been misguided,” he said.

On Thursday, Kangana announced Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda. She maintained that she’ll be portraying the titular character in the film which will be made as per international standards on a grand budget. The actor posted a picture with producer Kamal Jain to reveal that the story of her film is very celebratory and about a warrior who defeated Mehmood Ghaznavi not once but twice.