Notice to film director not to make film on Nithyananda

A Hyderbad-based advocate has issued a legal notice to a Kannada film director not to make a film on self-styled godman Nithyananda which portrays a ''distorted version'' of his life.

Advocate Krishna Kumar Bhagawati has issued the notice to Madana Mallu not to make "Satyananda" as it "depicts only the police version of Nithyananda (depicting the alleged sleaze scandal involving a regional actress), which is false and baseless", senior counsel for Nithyananda, K V Dhananjay told PTI. Bhagawati had earlier got a stay order from Hyderbad High Court on a Telugu film "Ayyaru" made on the life of Nithyananda, according to Dhananjay. Nityananda landed in controversy in March last year after a local television channel aired a purported video footage showing him in a compromising position with a Tamil actress. He was subsequently arrested in Solan district in Himachal Pradesh on April 21. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a chargesheet against Nityananda and four of his associates under various sections of IPC, including rape and unnatural sex. Meanwhile, Madana Mallu challenged Nithyananda to take him to court if the film "Satyananda" he is making is "a distortion of his (Nithyananda) life". Mallu told PTI that both he and the hero of the film, Ravi Chetan, who has acted in over 50 Kannada films, have been receiving threatening calls in the past few days, warning them "not to make the film as otherwise they would have to pay with their lives". "Despite all this I am not bothered. I wish to send a message to public to beware of lecherous persons who are engaged in all obscene things while donning saffron clothes. It is a slur on all seers," he said. "I am making a film which closely depicts his life. Let him watch the film first and if he has the face to term it as false and baseless, let him file a defamation suit. Let the court direct me to remove the scenes, I will readily do so," he said. "The real fact is he is guilty and that is why he is making such a hue and cry," Mallu said. The multi-lingual film made in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi is being shot in and around Bangalore and slated to hit the screen by first week of June. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/147497/notice-film-director-not-make.html