Kuala Lumpur, April 9 (IANS) Actor-producer Anil Kapoor may call a truce with Tamil star Suriya, against whom he was reportedly planning legal action for launching a film titled “24” — which happens to be the same as an international TV show, the remake rights of which rest with the “Mr. India” star.
“I have spoken to him (Suriya). I think, hopefully, it will settle down and we will sort it out. We are ready with it… See, we all protect our brand and name, and so we do everything to protect it,” Anil, who is in the Malaysian capital to promote the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards, told this visiting IANS correspondent.
According to a news report, Anil was ready to take strict legal action against Suriya over the “24”, which the latter is starring in as well as producing under home banner 2D Entertainment.
Since the look and logo of the title seemed similar to the popular American TV series “24”, for which Anil had bought the remake rights for from 20th Century Fox International TV a few years ago, it has irked him.
Meanwhile, Suriya’s “24”, helmed by Vikram Kumar, went on floors on Wednesday with a month-long schedule in Mumbai before heading to other locations. IANS tried contacting director Vikram Kumar for a comment, but in vain.
Anil, who has starred in a season of the American “24”, brought a ‘desi’ version of the show “24” to Indian TV screens via Colors in 2013. A new concept, with high production values, an impressive line-up of actors like Shabana Azmi, Tisca Chopra and Mandira Bedi, the show struck a chord with viewers, who were fed up of the humdrum TV soaps on kitchen politics and bedroom gossip, had to offer.
Now, the 58-year-old is ready to start working on the second season of the show.
“As soon as I am done with IIFA (in June), the shooting of ’24’ will go on floors. We will try to make it better, more successful… performances and casting will be even better and bigger. And there will be more new characters,” he said.
When should we expect it on the idiot box? “That’s upto the channel to decide,” he said.