Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has just finished shooting for the much-awaited Queen 2, but instead of gearing up for a promotional blitz, the film now finds itself at the centre of a bitter legal storm. Phantom Studios, the production house behind the original 2013 hit Queen, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to halt the release of the sequel entirely, while also demanding a staggering Rs 250 crore in damages from JioStar. At the heart of the dispute lies a simple but explosive claim — Phantom says it was never consulted, let alone given consent, for a follow-up to the film that catapulted Kangana Ranaut to critical acclaim and cemented her status as one of Hindi cinema's most fearless performers.
According to Phantom Studios, it holds joint intellectual property rights over the original Queen, and that ownership, the studio argues, extends to any decision on whether a sequel, prequel or spin-off can be made. This isn't the first time Phantom has raised the alarm either. Back in April this year, the studio issued a public notice explicitly stating that it had not approved any adaptation or derivative project linked to the film. The studio further claims it had been reaching out to both JioStar and filmmaker Vikas Bahl since May last year, attempting to resolve the matter privately, but says its communications went largely unanswered. It is this prolonged silence, Phantom contends, that ultimately left it with no option but to seek the court's intervention.
JioStar, for its part, has firmly rejected the allegations. The company maintains that Queen 2 is a wholly original story that shares no narrative or legal connection with the 2013 film — not a sequel, not a prequel, and not a spin-off in any conventional sense. In an argument that has raised more than a few eyebrows, JioStar has also contended that the word "Queen" is simply an English-language term and cannot be exclusively owned or trademarked by any single entity, effectively questioning whether Phantom's claims hold any real legal weight.
The timing of the controversy has only added to the intrigue. Vikas Bahl, who directed the original Queen and shot Kangana Ranaut to stardom with the film's unforgettable portrayal of a jilted bride finding herself on a solo honeymoon in Europe, reunited with the actress for this new project. Shooting on Queen 2 had wrapped just days before news of the lawsuit broke, catching many in the industry off guard.
Queen remains one of Bollywood's most celebrated films, having won multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare honours, and is widely regarded as a landmark moment in Kangana Ranaut's career. Given the emotional and commercial value attached to the franchise, this legal tussle is being closely watched by industry observers. The matter is expected to be heard soon before a single bench of the Bombay High Court, and its outcome could have significant implications not just for Queen 2's release plans, but for how IP rights over successful film franchises are handled in Bollywood going forward.
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